


Tunnel Vision

by nutmegofsussex



Series: Tunnel Vision [1]
Category: British Royalty RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, ginger and nutmeg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2019-09-15 08:38:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 86,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16930017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nutmegofsussex/pseuds/nutmegofsussex
Summary: All it took was one gruesome fight for Prince Harry to be placed on a semester’s suspension from Eton. Begrudgingly accepting responsibility for his actions, Charles sends him to Toronto. While accompanied by William, the Prince is enrolled into a Community Service program to grant forgiveness from the private school. Along the way, he meets a study-abroad student that is an aspiring actress. Together, the two will find common ground and her influence motivates him to change for the better.





	1. Prologue - Everybody needs Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Everyone that's supported my writing up to this point](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Everyone+that%27s+supported+my+writing+up+to+this+point).



August 2018

Meghan exhaled seeing her plane landing at the half way point of her trip with Harry. On this day, they were going to Botswana to celebrate her birthday. Getting off the plane, she felt those familiar butterflies in her stomach. How in the hell did this year and a half pass so quickly? Were they really taking a trip to Botswana together? How the fuck is she not pinching herself right now? After she went through customs, she was shipped over to the next gate to continue her journey. Walking over to her seat, a familiar face came into her view.

"MEG !!!!!"

Looking in his direction, Harry kissed her forehead and sat down next her.

"How was your flight?" he asked holding her hands, rubbing circles into her palms.

"It was tiring but fine and it still isn't over! How did you get me to agree to this again?" She scrunched up her nose giving him a mock expression of exhaustion.

Harry huffed shaking his head at her. Within seconds of them sitting, it was time for them to get moving to board their next plane. He felt the realization of what was to come hitting him. They were taking a 5-day trip together to one of his favorite places on earth. Damn, he really pulled that off. Of course, he had to pull some strings but since he was on this brief break from duty why not take advantage of it? Plus, who else would he spend this time with? Certainly not William, or his father. Everything worked out perfectly. Just five days with no responsibilities, worries or anything else just quality time with Meghan. Looking down at his wrapped portrait he turned to his freckle faced beauty, handing her the present.

"Happy Birthday Babe."

Meghan smiled, accepting the gift "Aww thank you! I'll open it later!"

Harry shot her a wink "No problem! I'm sure you'll find it to your liking."

Everybody needs someone to love. Harry remembered the first time he saw that at an art gallery in Toronto when he and Meghan were just friends. He couldn't believe that within the past year and a half now going onto two so much happened. He had grown so much as a person. No longer was he at Eton trying to beat his classmate repeatedly with a broomstick for speaking ill of his mother. He wasn't ready to blow a fuse or act irrationally. He was in a place where he could truly be happy. Sure, he still had his days but the man he is now would make even his enemies stunned.

Thinking back, he just couldn't believe how he even managed to become friends with Meghan so quickly. It's as if some parts of it were not just a blur. However, if there was one thing, he knew his growth was nothing to sneeze at. Sure, Sandhurst kicked his ass and threw him down to the ground like scum but the humbling experiences he had in Toronto opened his eyes. Who would've thought a little community kitchen could change so many lives? It wasn't just the food or the plays that were put on by students in theatre troops. What brought everyone together was the heart that fed the souls of those who entered the place. His mother was always right about one thing.

"No matter where you go or where you come from, never forget that these little interactions you have with someone could last a life time."

Those words rang truer now. He, a school delinquent created an unlikely bond with a rising thespian scholar. When she entered the room, it was if everything else just disappeared. The tunnel vision he had for her was unreal, but she really understood him. No, she didn't try to change him, but she is a positive influence on who he is today. All she did was sit and talk with him. From that moment on something just clicked immediately between the two of them.

Everybody needs somebody to love, and he found it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is dedicated to: Lana, Bella, Barbie, Elizabeth, Cara, Rachel, Kiki and everyone else that read my works on tumblr. I absolutely appreciate the support you all have given to my stories. I hope that I do well on this chaptered series. It's my first time doing this, so please bare with me.


	2. Chapter 1 - Losing My Ground

_Approximately two years ago… October 7th, 2016_

“HARRY STOP! You’re literally going to fuck him up !!!”

All Harry could remember was seeing everything in the color of red. His knuckles went from a pale white to a scorched red from the punches he landed on his classmate. There were many taunts he could easily brush off but for someone to come for his mother was completely out of line. He didn’t even sense anyone trying to pull him away from the student. Within his peripheral vision happened to be a broom and dust pan. Taking the items, he continued to repeatedly assault the boy with them. Each hit he landed sent blood and bruises leaking from the kid’s body. His friends tried to intervene and stop him but they to got elbowed away from him. At this point Harry didn’t even care who got hit but if they were going to talk shit and try to stop him from beating this guy to a pulp, they’d get it too.

His friends once again tried to pull him away from the student’s unconscious body but to no avail. It took the Dean of his house coming in to end it. One of Harry’s friends Guy Pelly snatched the broom from his hands. Charlie Van Strauz- _we’ll call him Strawberry for the sake of simplicity_ , took the bloodied and broken dust pan. Together with the Dean they hauled Prince Harry, resident ass-whooper of Wales to the resident director’s office. Something needed to be done about Harry’s wild outburst. While his friends didn’t disagree that he had every right to do what he did but _damn_ they weren’t expecting this. The duo stared at their third musketeer with disbelief, even when they kept trying to hold him back, he still shoved them away. If Guy could remember correctly, he got himself elbowed in the jaw. Charlie on the other hand got ribbed hard in the stomach. Shit, Harry wasn’t playing.

After dropping their want to-be assassin friend off in the director’s office the duo quickly made their way back to class. Harry often got into a few blows with some classmates but this one wasn’t going to get him a slap on the hand. He really came for blood, and they knew for a fact he’d likely be sent home. Well, at least everyone else knew to never call his mother a “ _worthless whore that deserved to die_ ” ever again. They knew exactly what would come for them. All Thomas and Guy hoped was that Harry would get the help he needed. They tried distracting him with games, sports, parties, marijuana and Chelsy but they could tell something was off. Maybe now, he’d get proper assistance. The two shook their heads, knowing that this wasn’t going to go well with his dad or brother either.

  
“HARRY! HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS?”

The prince turned towards his headmaster, feeling his ears turning red with anger. He clicked the roof of his tongue, giving direct eye contact.

“I’m not sure as to why you have to keep count when this isn’t some everyday occurrence.”

The dean sighed, he pressed his fingers against his temples, brows furrowed together.

“I’ve told you _thousands_ of times, you can’t keep fighting every single person that speaks distastefully about those closest to you.”

Harry raises his eyebrow, glancing over the gentleman before him.

“So, you’re telling me that if I called your wife something as derogatory as a ‘ _social climbing whore without a lick of common sense to their name_ ’ you wouldn’t have the mind to fuck me up?”

Dean Winchester placed his hands on the table, going through the tedious routine of reading another report of Harry’s outburst.

“Henry Wales, this is a serious issue. Your anger-fueled outbursts are troublesome. We’ve tried everything we could at this point. Perhaps, instead of channeling your energy into sports you should go into community service or speak to someone that can help you.”

“A therapist?”

The headmaster nodded “Yes, and as I mentioned before, some **_community service_**. I know that you’re still grieving but we need to have more _constructive outlets_ for you.”

Harry rolled his eyes, “If you want to be THAT productive you would have sent my ass to Sandhurst early.”

“Doing so would be great _but_ I want you to _truly gain experiences_ that balance you out prior to enlisting into military school. You’ll thank me for this later.”

“Whatever you say, if it’s supposed to help with this supposed _‘problem’_ I have.”

“You beat one of your housemates with the broom and dustpan causing them to have internal bruising. Not to mention, you also ribbed your two closest friends while possibly cracking Charlie’ ribcage.”

“Maybe if they shut the fuck up about my mother, they wouldn’t have that problem on their hands. Also, Charlie and Guy didn’t have to jump in stop me. They should know me by now.”

An intensified silence filled the room.

“Harry, the student has a broken nose, chipped tooth, bruised eye, battered neck and swollen jaw.”

“Am I supposed to feel sorry for that bitch? I don’t.”

“One of these days, you’ll understand. Your time is coming.”

“Everybody's always talking about how _'my time is coming'_. Time for what? We all know this hellhole is trying to toy with me!”  
  
The dean shook his head, how was he going to manage to get it into Harry’s thick skull.

Harry was then instructed to sit outside in the hallway, while the headmaster arranged for there be a meeting. Sitting on the bench, he twiddled his thumb, absentmindedly thinking back to how he kicked that bastard’s ass. _Talk shit get hit, that’s the motto_. In his opinion, he wasn’t wrong. This shit had been happening the minute he stepped in this hell hole.

“Fuck this institutional death trap” he thought to himself.

While he was in classes with affluent students like himself, he often felt somewhat out of place due to his title. He could feel it since the first day of his arrival. Yes, his bodyguards allowed him to have a sense of ‘ _normalcy_ ’- whatever that was, but he knew he was different. Below the surface of the polo matches, his Captain of Games status, and hand at art something just didn’t feel right. There was this emptiness and slight isolation from his peers. He never talked about it with anyone but there were times he felt like he was in his _typical fishbowl_ of a life, staring at everyone tapping on the glass. He ran his fingers through his fiery locks, sighing quietly as his stomach slightly churning. This day had already been a disaster, so he surely had nothing to lose right?

Within seconds of those thoughts stirring in the prince’s mind, he was called into the headmaster’s office once again. He took his seat, propping his legs against the chair next to him. Harry could feel the tension resuming in the space’s atmosphere. Dean Winchester sighed giving his delinquent pupil eye contact. The numbing silence continued a few minutes more while the dean contemplated the best way to deliver the news.

“After consulting with your father and professors, it has been decided that you will take the rest of the year off. Your classes will resume online.”

Harry felt as if the floor suddenly smashed into 1,000 pieces below him. He tried to contain his facial expression, but those blue eyes said it all. The words rotated themselves into his brain. He knew that he fucked up sure, but to just completely drop him off the roster like this was crazy. What would he do while he wasn’t here? His friends, the sports he was captain of, the social scene of Eton was gone from his grasp just like that.

Noting Harry’s suddenly change of expression, the dean opted to continue his explanation of what’s to come next.

“Since you are having a difficult time keeping focused and are clearly of need of some help this is the best we could do. We must find a way to get you more involved and productive. Sports and socializing are great but if you’re continuing to cause disruptions due to outburst, this can’t continue.”

Harry furrowed his brows, feeling his ears growing hot.

“Isn’t there some way that I can just stay here? Why do I need to leave?”

Dean Winchester’s expression remained neutral.

“As I just explained to you, this is our only option at this point. You’re to be escorted off the premises within forty-five minutes. Your body guards will come to help you pack. If you need to say any goodbyes do so within the time frame. Until you get yourself together in a manner handling everything in a healthy state, this is the route being taken. Once you get home, your father will explain the rest of this change.”

“You have to be kidding me! I was sarcastic about being send to Sandhurst!”

“This isn’t about Sandhurst, Prince Henry. Now, you’re under limited time constraints. I would suggest you get moving, now.”

There it was, he had really done it now. Good going Harry, all the hard work his mother and father put into him attending Eton College. His father especially worked for him to go to the school. He was a pupil at Gordonstoun and wanted his sons to never experience the same kind of hell he, as his grandfather (would vehemently deny) went through too. Little did his father, _Prince Charles of Wales_ nor his mother, _Princess Diana of Wales_ understand that he too would feel like he was in hell at this school. Sure, the Spencer men were bred into fine young men here but Harry himself felt like he’d do better a reform school. However, despite his wishes he knew he had to find a way to truly explain his fuck up to his father and fast. Lord only knows what he was in for once he got home.

Following his brisk escort to his housing, he made haste to begin packing. What he thought would be a quick move to pack turned into a chore. His housemates began questioning him on every detail of his talk with Winchester. Refusing to answer any questions, he worked to focus on the task at hand. His friends noticed and immediately began swatting nosy peers away. If Harry’s final few minutes were to be spent packing, then so be it. Charlies and Guy sighed, they hated that their comrade had to be sent away. Yet they knew if they protested, it wouldn’t be long before they too were sent off. All they knew was that whenever Harry returned, they were getting that scummy bastard Winston back. The twat headed bastard had hell coming to him once he got out of the hospital. He’s lucky Harry didn’t use his feet to crush his ribs and only impaled one bone into his lung.

Standing together outside waiting for his body guards _Snow_ and _Weasel_ to pick him up, the trio sat on the front steps taking in the scenery. It would be exactly 10 more months until they were able to be a three-piece set again. Everything happened so quickly, and it just didn’t feel real that Harry was leaving. Even though word would spread quickly, Guy and Charles had a plan to dispel any rumors. Nobody was going to do any sort of a spear campaign against him while he was away.

Doing their secret handshake one last time, Harry turned away from his friends preparing to face his fate. Snow and Weasel took all the Prince’s belongings quickly packing it into the Range Rover. He quickly made his way into the front driver’s seat. This was it, time to get the ultimate lecture, and bitching of life. He thought the marijuana rehab drop off was embarrassing enough but this was going to be the icing on the cake. Not to mention that William would try to grill him. But what would he know? It’s not like he’s _around_ to give a damn. All he does is stay in Scotland attending university praying the press keeps their promise to not record him fucking up. It’s not as if his peers didn’t know he had a plethora of fangirls following him to secure the consort title. He rolled his eyes. Giving his friends one last wave, the car pulled away from the entrance of Eton College heading straight to Kensington Palace.

Time to face the music Henry Charles Albert David, there’s no running back or changing the past.

  
The ride home to Kensington Palace was brief. Making haste of getting everything back to his room, Harry ensured that it was done with discretion. The last thing he wanted was for one of his aunts or uncles to notice. It’s not as if they would care but if Uncle Andrew found out about his suspension, he wouldn’t hear the end of it. The man LIVED for seeing his eldest brother’s youngest son be the resident fuck up. The irony of this is that Uncle Andrew was the DEFINITION of a family mess. The man was the breathing embodiment of chaos, and destruction. Everything he touched turned into sewer drainage.

After making it to his room, he quietly locked the door and lounged in his reading chair. This was going to be a long evening. It wasn’t even seven o’clock yet. All he knew was once his brother and father figured out that he arrived, it would all go downhill from here. Pulling out his cellphone he quickly ensured to text his friends that he made it safely.

_Spike Wells: Hey guys I made it home safely!!!_

_Guy-Sensei: Good ! We miss you already babe!_  
  
Spike Wells: Bruh, chill out I’m not your babe!

 _Guy-Sensei: You’re right that’s William_  
  
_Spike Wells: ……. I’ll leave that to all of you. My favorite is Charlie anyway._  
  
_*Charlie Chocolate Factory is online*_  
  
_Charlie: …………………. We never discussed this Harry. You know how we conduct business_

_Spike Wells: Anyway, I need to talk to my pa and brother in a few. They’ll be here any minute. God I’m so fucked!_

_Charlie: Good luck bro_

_Guy: Damn it really be like that sometimes._

_Spike Wells: Fuck off!_

_*Spike Wells is Offline*_

Right on cue, he heard the door open and his butler _‘Jam’_ entered the room informing the prince that his father wanted to see him. Allowing himself to be escorted, Harry made his way over to Prince Charles’ office. Once again, this was going to be a long night. Knocking twice, he waited for one of his father’s assistants to let him. Precisely two minutes from the second knock, a staff member let him in. The walk towards Prince Charles’ desk was an anxiety building affair. Harry was well-aware of what’s to come. He knew these kinds of ‘punishments’ like the back of his hand. He would be whisked away by one of the nannies after a two-minute lecture on how his behavior was unacceptable as third-in-line to the throne. Not that his father cared or seemed to, the man always kept his attention on his mistress turned new wife. What could he do?

Approaching his father’s desk, he sat down in the chair. Prince Charles glanced up to see him. His expression was eerily stern compared to his headmaster’s neutrality. Harry recognized that look immediately. He truly hit rock bottom. The last time Charles gave anyone a stare that intense they understood the impact of his utter disgust. The last person Harry vividly remembered getting that kind of piercing gaze was Uncle Andrew. This was it, time for the lecture of a lifetime.

“Harry, do you have any idea the sort of disappointment I have in you right now?”

Not even a pin dropped while Charles waited for a response.

Harry blinked before replying, “I’m sure it’s a lot. Guess it’s expected from your resident second born huh?”

The Prince of Wales inhaled, carefully mincing his thoughts before continuing.

“I got a call from your headmaster today, informing me that you decided on your own moral accord to repeatedly assault a student with a broom and dust pan.”

Huffing, the ginger prince slightly slouched in his chair.

“In my defense, my classmate talked smack about Mummy. Did you really think I was going to let that shit slide?”

Charles clicked the roof of his tongue, clenching his fist.

“Do you just enjoy living impulsively without even considering the consequences of your actions **Henry**?”

“It’s not like you’re around when you seem to be occupied with a certain step-mother of mine.”

Harry shifted in his chair trying with no avail, to escape his father’s ever strengthened eye contact.

If looks could kill, Charles’ would be at the top of the list.

“Normally I would have the nannies handle these kinds of situations but seeing as you’re older now, I have to take things into my own hands.”

“Isn’t that what you’re SUPPOSED to do as a parent -”

The elderly prince inhaled once again. He had to remember that he wasn’t the type to just fly off handle.

As if fate brought the perfect audience in to witness Harry’s sentencing, William and Grandpa Philip entered the office.

Philip patted Harry’s shoulder while taking a seat on the sofa. William shook his head, already sensing that his little brother managed to truly fuck up. It didn’t matter what little Harry did, by the tension within the room he had his bets placed.

“Pardon us intruding on what is supposed a father, son lecturing session, but I just wanted to stop by to hear what’s going on now.”

Harry raised an eyebrow at his grandfather. Word already spread that quickly!!?!?

_GOD DAMN!_

Philip scoffed at his youngest grandson, “Harry what HAVEN’T you done? So, what is it this time? Marijuana? Sex in the backseat of my corvette with what’s her name Cressida or was it Chelsy?”

The youngest member of the Windsor men rolled his eyes, he rested his head into his hands. This really couldn’t be happening.

“Ooh I know! You were caught snorting crack or drinking some stuff called “Sway” or “Lean” right?”

_LEAN GRANDPA IT’S CALLED LEAN_

“NO! Have you **no** _faith_ in me at all?”

William swung himself towards Harry’s direction continuing to shake his head.

“Harry, having faith in you to do anything that isn’t self-absorbed, egotistical, or just completely lacking common sense wouldn’t be too far off.”

Charles slammed his hands onto his desk.

“ENOUGH! Now if the **_peanut gallery_** would be so kind as to be quiet, I can continue my lecture!”

“Son **please** , if we waited any longer, I’d be dead, and you would be king.”

The younger royals in the room stared at Philip, before refocusing their attention on Charles.

When was it NOT chaotic amongst the Windsor men in this household?

Harry groaned, he just wanted to get the shittiest day of his life over with.

Why did there always have to some sort of interruption or unnecessary pause?

Charles cleared his throat, “As I was saying, Harry I hope you realize that by jeopardizing someone else’s education along with your own, you’ve managed to get yourself suspended from school.”

William hissed “Damn it really be like that sometimes huh?”

Philip sighed “And I thought Andrew was the family fuck up !?!”

The original heir to the throne shot everyone disgusted looks.

“William, since you’re so thrilled by how your brother is the architect of his own misfortune, he can join you in Toronto during your study abroad program.”

“PA WHAT?!?! WHY?”

William sucked his teeth, OF COURSE he would have to babysit his little brother. Typical, how was he going to explain to the University that his brother had to live with him at the campus apartments? Great going Harry, your selfishness has once again caused everyone to have to scramble and compromise because you lack self-discipline.

“William, I’m not leaving him here in London to do his community service and be hounded by the press, while having access to sneak off to see his friends.”

Harry ran his fingers through his hair. God, did no one even see the possibility of him being able to redeem himself? Was he REALLY that bad?

Clearing the air once again, Charles regained order in his office.

“Now as for you, Harry. According to the school you are required to complete the rest of your semester online.”

Harry nodded, “Okay! Piece of cake!”

Charles remained stoic.

“Don’t overexert your eagerness Henry, there’s still more to this. You WILL attend 40 hours a week of community service at a local community kitchen. Since you’ll be with William in Toronto, I will be planning for you to get your credit at the Hubb Kitchen. I know someone in my polo circles that works there. Also, you must attend therapy sessions every Tuesday and Saturday each week. Every two weeks you will help the local environmental facility by William’s host school to pick up trash around campus and the city.”

William patted his brother’s shoulders.

“I’m still not finished gentlemen. Since you’re going to be suspended and out of the country, I’m taking your black card. Also, I have informed the polo team that you’re not playing this season. Eton’s sports club has temporarily halted your captain status, passing it onto someone else until you return. You may have your cellphone but do know that any service you get will be paid for by _you_ alone. Two body guards will accompany both of you.”

The brothers sighed, once this was over their hell will officially begin.

“A week after this coming Tuesday, both of you will travel together with your body guards to Toronto commercially. Once you arrive your work will officially begin the day after, following adjustments to the time zones. Both of you will contact me and keep me in the loop of your progress. Your body guards are already informed and will ensure it is maintained.

Another pause filled the room.

“Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Good, you all are dismissed.”

Philip watched the boys exit the office. He could sense that William was ready to kill Harry. While he wanted to watch the drama unfold, he opted to sit with his son and chuckle to himself.

“Well Chuck you’ve certainly outdone yourself this time.”

“Father, I had no other option. Diana and I pulled all sorts of strings to get Harry into Eton, so he could follow the Spencer tradition. I wasn’t sending him to Gordonstoun.”

“Hey, you never know he could have liked it.”

“My kids, my rules.”

“I know!”

Charles sat in the empty office thinking everything over. He was sure that what he had set for Harry would be the best option. As much as he hated to simply ship him off to another country, he knew his son needed a form of structure. Perhaps letting him work overseas could set the foundation of himself becoming a better man. Things had changed drastically, since the loss of Diana. However, he wasn't going to let the course of event deter him from ensuring his sons would grow up into fine men. Especially since they represented the monarchy. He hoped this experience would let Harry be on his own, finally be challenged, teaching him how to build his character. Nothing could dishearten him more than feeling as if he failed as a parent. Originally, he planned on sending Harry to Lesotho to form the Sentebale foundation but he thought against it. Why send his son to an African Kingdom, when he could just place him with his elder brother William? His Sentebale project could be started once he graduates, taking his gap year. Though they'd be living together, he could still find his own way and have a sense of independence while supervised. He trusted William to look out for Harry. May this trip give Harry the tools he needed to succeed. Maybe when his son returned, they could reflect on his time away from home. All he could do was wait and hold his breath. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place in an alternate universe. The plot goes between two years of time, and will eventually jump forward 3 more years. 
> 
> Everyone's ages at the start of the story are as follows: 
> 
> Prince Harry of Wales - Age 17  
> Meghan Markle - Age 17  
> Prince William - 21  
> Kate Middleton - 22 
> 
> Prince Charles - Older than me and you 
> 
> Ms. Doria - Older than me and you 
> 
> Camilla - Older than me and you


	3. Chapter 2 – Knuck if You Buckingham

Three days passed since Harry was sentenced to community services and living with William. The last time the duo visited Toronto was when their mother was alive. During that period, it was a public royal tour. While he was too young to remember everything, fond memories of viewing Niagara Falls with Diana and William flooded his consciousness. He especially remembered when the three of them snuck into a local restaurant at 3:00 am because none of them could sleep. Mummy bought them waffles, and hash browns with glasses of lemonade. They were covered in hoodies and medical masks, but they enjoyed every second of their time together.

After their mother passed, the trips Harry took with his brother were often just for royal engagements. He couldn't remember the last time he _really_ enjoyed anything. Okay, scratch that the trip to South Africa to see Little Mix was nice. Leigh Anne Pinnock had an ass to die for - ANYWAY, this upcoming move wasn't for chasing ass or gawking at women it was to accept the consequences of his actions. Hopefully he and William wouldn't get into any fights. Maybe this trip could bring them closer together. Wait, what is he even thinking? Why in the hell would he EVER rekindle a relationship with the blandest flavor of ice cream in the fridge? Pull yourself together Harry, don't get caught slipping.

Perhaps by some prayer Harry hoped William's love-sick girlfriend, or whatever he referred to her as wouldn't join them. Now don't get him wrong, it's not that he hated her, but she made weird faces. What was her name you ask? Catherine "Kate" Middleton, the only person besides Thomas Van-Strawberry (yes, the older brother of Charlie) that William didn't forget about. He was giving his brother too much credit, it could be considered a MIRACLE she made it this far. Then again, this is the same brother that remained friends with all his exes. Knowing Wombat, **he'd invite them all to his wedding.** How these women survived his ways, _he didn't know_. Somethings are better _left unanswered_.

Quickly getting himself out of bed, he got showered and dress for the day. the least he could do was look presentable. These past three days were filled with himself working in his father's garden and feeding his chickens. He also helped some of the staff cleaning. When his day ended, he'd find himself scrolling through the endless hell hole of Tastygram. For today, he decided to turn his phone off and do more within the real world versus the digital universe.

Making his way down the lengthy staircase he entered the kitchen. His father ceased all access of the chefs fixing Harry any breakfast. Anything he wanted, he needed to himself. The irony of this being he could cook. Yes, he burnt the toast and destroyed the toaster while high at Club H but catch him on a good day. He could quickly make a delicious omelet with cheese, tomatoes, mango pepper sauce, and bacon. Preparing the ingredients for this morning's meal, he looked over his to-do list of chores and other assignments that needed to be done.

  1. _Finish Archeology Quiz due by 11:59pm tonight_
  2. _Feed the chickens_
  3. _Feed the corgis_
  4. _Discuss living arrangements, and overall trip to Toronto with William_



He dreaded having to discuss this elephant the room. Since his punishment started William avoided him like the plague. Whenever they were in the same room together, he wouldn't even acknowledge him. Not to say he didn't have a reason why, but they needed to get this over with. The sooner they did it, the faster they could everything else accomplished. Fuck it! William can approach him ready to fight for all he cared. Just because Harry's punishment was forcibly lumped into his study abroad plans doesn't mean it was his fault. In fact, Harry preferred staying in London. Well, there isn't anything that could be done. Everything had been finalized on Monday. It's Wednesday now.

But if one thing was certain, they had to talk _eventually_.

Harry managed to finish most of his tasks on his list. The only one left being the elephant in the room, speaking to William.  When having dinner with their father, the silence became unbearable. All Harry could do was answer the questions directed to him. Anytime he tried to turn the conversation towards Wills, it fell short. He’s aware of his anger but the least he can do is talk to him. They couldn’t just sit around twiddling their thumbs and avoiding each other.

After finishing his meal, the Duke of Cornwall dabbed his face, taking one last swig of his wine.  
Harry reached for the salt across the table and felt William's eyes peering into his skin. Trying to make light of the conversation he turned towards Charles again. Clearing his throat, he made the bright decision to crack a wise joke about Kate. Maybe that would solve the problem. Now to just think of something funny to say. Come on Harry, you're undefeated when it comes to easing tension.  
  
RIGHT?

_Right?_

**RIGHT?**

Now was his chance. Henry Charles Albert David **don't screw this up**.

"So, does Kate make weird faces when you all snog or does she remain stiff as a board like you?"

William blinked, the silence continuing to linger in the room.

Charles coughed taking a sip of his water.

"Damn it's so tense in here you'd think somebody else died, like Kate's personality."

William pushed his chair out and placed his fork on the table with a thump.

Try harder Harry, he must talk somehow.

"I'm amazed she even stays with someone as uptight as you. It's like she clings to you as if she's some _love-sick_ puppy. Are you sure she's not trying to cling to your money?"

The elder brother continued to remain quiet. He stood up from his chair. The next thing Harry knew, a sticky red liquid splashed onto his clothes. Following that was the sound a piercing slap across the face. The force of William's backhand sent Harry falling out of his chair.

Charles sat in silence, _unceasing_ in the nourishment of his meal. This certainly wasn't his problem, nor his business. He turned towards his delinquents- or more affectionately known as _sons_ and left quietly. Now the former trio shrunk to a duo with his departure.

Harry cradled his stung cheek, feeling his fruit punch cling his skin and clothes together.

William clenched one of his fists, god sometimes he just wanted to kill Harry.  
Fuck it! Harry was catching all these hands. Getting onto his knees, William started to punch Harry repeatedly. Each punch was for all the times he had to put up with his shit. For the time he decided it was funny to embarrass him during his first date with his last girlfriend, ruining last year's ski trip, always being a selfish dick but most importantly slandering Kate.

Harry grabbed William's wrist clenching it, while spitting up blood.

"Oh, so you're finally answering me huh?"

William punched him one more time for good measure.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOUR SHIT! THE WORLD DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND YOU!"

Harry scoffed rolling the two of them over, elbowing his brother in the nose.

"REVOLVES AROUND ME!?!?! YOU'RE ALWAYS THE PERFECT CHILD!"

William twisted Harry's left wrist, while using his knee to shove him in the stomach.

"You little bitch, I have to be the **PERFECT** child because you CONSISTENTLY FUCK EVERYTHING UP !!"

Harry barely managed to get his now sprained wrist out of William's grasp before he completely twisted it. Using his elbows, he jabbed the heir in the jaw.

"YOU THINK I ASKED TO EVEN BE BORN LET ALONE AFTER YOU!? IT'S ALWAYS 'WILLIAM THIS' 'WHY CAN'T YOU BE _MORE LIKE WILLIAM_?' WHY WOULD I EVER **WANT** TO BE LIKE YOU?"

William spit out the blood in his mouth onto Harry's face.

"I'd rather have ten of me than to ever have to deal with a selfish asshole like you."

Harry took another hard swing, using his free unstrained left hand to hold his hands together.

Taking his right foot, he balanced himself to take his left to grab William's head while he headbutted his own.

"You want to be an only child _THAT BADLY_? Congratulations I'll make you the only dead one."

William shook his head, feeling the blunt force of Harry's head butt.

"You'll be exactly what the staff calls you Harry the Horrible. Kill me then you punk."

Philip happened to hear what was going on and wanted to check. He peeked inside seeing William and Harry fist fighting it out. Now that's what he was talking about. There's nothing better than to blow off any tension or steam than through a fist fight. However, judging by how they managed to topple over his wife's good china he opted to stay out of it. If he meddled, he knew Harry would ask who fought better. However, to be honest, from his observations William was finally putting up the better fight but Harry's efforts wouldn't go to vain. He could hold his own against anyone EVEN his brother. If only Andrew learned this instead of fighting everybody he saw. Oh well, he needed to mind his own business. This fight wasn't for his eyes.

Harry dusted himself off.

"I don't need to prove anything to anyone. Fuck the staff, all they ever do is talk shit. They never last long anyway, fucking wastes of space."

William raised his eyebrow, blue eyes tracing over his younger brother's frame.

"They only leave because you, Uncle Andrew and Aunt Michael make their jobs harder."

The ginger prince let out a hearty laugh, clutching his sore sides.

"YOU'RE FUCKING JOKING!!!! You obviously don't know about how they're sick of you fucking Kate in the backseat of Range Rovers. They say even Febreze can't take out the stench of your nut."

"Are you sure it's not _YOU_ Harry? Everyone knows you're a serial whore around the palace."

"Funny how the biggest whore of them all is calling me one. That's not how I remember **Jecca** screaming through the dining room walls as you fucked her while Kate was on her way here. You may have everyone else under your little finger William but I'm no idiot. You're a spoiled brat who thinks that even his own brother is beneath him. I may get into shit but at least I can take responsibility."

"So, we're going to act like you're some prince to Chelsy? The poor girl flew from Zimbabwe to deal with a piece of scum like you. Why would anyone waste their time with the spare? That's asking for disappointment."

"My issues with Chelsy are my business. Since you feel so confident, when are you _FINALLY_ going to meet Kate's parents?"

"The day you stop getting in the way of my life."

"Aww William can't handle that his little brother is living his life but somehow manages to outshine him despite not being the future king. **SUCK IT BITCH**."

"Keep Kate out of your mouth !!"

"Okay, well we can talk about: Jecca, Isabella, Olivia, Rose, or Tess -"

Before Harry could even finish his sentence, William pushed him against the wall. His head scraped against the surface of the clock above him.

"The only thing we need to be discussing right now is our living situation in Toronto."

Harry nodded, walking over to the table to clean up the mess he caused from their brief fight. Within twenty minutes, all the blood, glass, juice, and food contents from their dinner were gone. Together, he and William retreated to their shared study to go over everything they needed to know for their move.

Pulling out his MacBook, William showed his sibling a three-dimensional model of their apartment. Their new home for the next year was a two bedroom with one bathroom, a kitchen and a living room area. Not too bad for them to live in. Their body guards would live next door and have copies of their keys to keep close watch of them. Continuing their way through the navigation, the brothers saw the overall layout of the apartment complex. Unquestionably, it wasn't like William's living situation at St. Andrew's, but it would do.

The golden prince cleared his throat "Okay, now we need to lay down some ground rules since we've looked over the space."

"God William, once we step foot into that apartment, we're men. Fuck kind of rules do we need?"

"Not me Harry, YOU. Your wild ass needs controlling."

"Wombat don't try me because you KNOW your ass was pressing your nuts against the window of Club H to keep them warm."

"Okay Streak-A-Leak, keep this up!"

"ANYWAY, who gets what room?"

"There's two rooms just fucking pick one. "

"Nah we need to ESTABLISH which one because I know Kate and her crazy faces will be coming over and I don't need to -"

POP!

"Harry SHUT UP!"

"Don't hate the player when you can't play the game."

"WHAT!?!?! Okay seriously it's late we need to get our lives together."

They discussed the ground rules of their living situation.

  1. You should be old enough to know how to knock before entering a room.
  2. If you’re going to be filthy do so in your own bed for pleasure. Try to keep the apartment clean.
  3. If the bodyguards don't know, DON'T TELL THEM!



"Well that didn't take long."

"William, you know you aren't going to keep up with any of these rules."

"Harry, you're looking at the _poster child of perfection_."

"That's not what Mandy said when she heard Kate doing seal noises on your dick."

William inhaled slowly trying to not laugh or kill his brother. Harry needed to be contained because these comments were out of line.  
  
"Does it REALLY sound like a seal?"

"With the way Dad sounds like having fun with Camilla? Absolutely."

"Harry, I could have gone my whole -"

"You let yourself into this one."

Continuing to talk later into the night, they discussed how they were utilizing their time despite school, and the community service Harry had to do. They looked up hot spots for social events, late night clubbing, and alcohol. The least Harry could do was help his brother with that despite being his last-minute roommate. If they were living together, some sort of fun had to be done. All he prayed was that the walls were thick enough to muffle out the sound of Kate. All the talking they did until 4:30 am made him go from completely dreading leaving London to being somewhat excited. Despite the circumstances, Harry was slowly looking forward to being away from Eton for a bit. That hell hole could wait for him to come back. Maybe it would be good for him after all. He wouldn't dare tell Wombat or his father though. There's no way he'd let them figure that out.

 Just _four more days_ until their departure. Harry couldn’t sleep, so he remained awake for the rest of the morning. All his mind focused on was Toronto. It’s ironic that the one time he’s peaking with excitement to go somewhere that isn’t on the African continent, it’s a city in Canada. Laying awake, he looked out the window taking in one last view of the evening stars. Perhaps he could throw one last hoorah before he leaves. It could start at the Club H, then navigate itself to a bonfire. The little gears churned in his psyche as he tried to picture a going away party for him and William. They’d get some liquor, cigars, some good food and of course Guy had to be the DJ.

Pausing, he realized that during these preparation for the move, he didn’t tell Chelsy anything. **Fuck** , now he had to figure out a way to break the news to her. It would be handled easily because in all honesty, their relationship was going nowhere. To put it in the context of his favorite Demi Lovato song _“She Doesn’t Do It For Him Anymore.”_ Now Chelsy herself wasn’t a bad person at all. Yet, when they were together it often turned into water and oil. She was his first love, but he wouldn’t even put love as an adjective for her. She is the inaugural girlfriend, that’s all there is to it. He wouldn’t have the time to entertain her while he was gone. The sooner he cut off the dead weight, the better. Unlike William, he had to issues getting to the chase of things. Beating around the bush wasn’t his style for accomplishing tasks.

This party would be perfect because as he is leaving, he could casually cut his ties. No attachments, no problems to face. He just hoped it would be easier than thought of. Harry didn’t want to be that kind of guy, a dick. Turning over once again placing his pillow on his head, he sighed. No matter how he did it, he knew there would still be some feelings. Well, guess he'd just have to do what he intended. Better to do that than to get caught up in a messy long-distance relationship he clearly wouldn't commit to. Okay, maybe that was too harsh he would commit but knowing him and Chelsy . . .  it would be doomed to fail. Especially with how they are now. It was set, during the party he'd end things officially.

Later at around noon, the prince awakened to his phone filled with messages from William. He wanted to speak to him about planning a going-away party. Luckily for him, this is what he pondered about the night before. Now is the time to truly put these ideas into action. All he needed to do was compile a list of trusted, close friends to join in the festivities. Yes, you heard it, he’s being quite picky about who he wants there. The last thing he needs is hysteria of his absence from the London social circle for a year and two months. At least by picking his most trusted his companions, word of his leave would be hushed efficiently. This trip had to be one where he could _finally have the chance to be normal_. No matter what he _refused_ to let himself be defined by his title, what he did prior to this point or anything else. He wanted a fresh start, and Toronto was his chance.


	4. Author's Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just to explain a few things before we continue moving forward with the story

Hello everyone that’s been reading my story so far !   
  
Here are some notes !!

Chapter One: 

Eton College is not a University or a College. It is the private secondary school the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex attended in real life. The school is located near to Windsor Castle, where the Duke of Sussex married his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.  As mentioned within the first chapter, Harry was the  _captain of house games_  at Eton. He played various sports such as [polo](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.gettyimages.com%2Fphotos%2Fprince-harry-in-action-for-eton-against-marlborough-during-the-polo-picture-id829272764&t=YmQwNGE5YjYwYjI2OTMxOGE2ZDljMTNlMGFlMjVhOGFhNjlkNTg0MSwyY2ViMTMyN2NlN2QxOTlmY2QxNjZiYTFlMjkwMzFkZTJhOWU3MTcw) _, and_[the infamous wall game](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theroyalforums.com%2Fforums%2Fattachment.php%3Fattachmentid%3D8156%26d%3D1055015051&t=MTVhYjIzY2Y5MjI2OTYyNDk3MDRiYTE3OGJhNDM2N2I1MDY0M2U5MixlM2I0MzlkOGFlMWMzYmNhNGZlY2M1ODc3MjVhOGM3OWVlYTEwYjk5) **.** Including these sports, he was involved in their[military equivalent of an American JROTC program](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.gettyimages.com%2Fphotos%2Fprince-harry-practising-for-the-military-tattoo-at-eton-college-of-picture-id52115158&t=ZDQ0Yjc4MDZjNTFiYzliMmQ1Y2U0OTYwMWI5ZDMxZDE5Zjg3ZDE0MCxjOTZkZDllYzVjNjdmMzdlZjJhMzNmNzQ0ODkwYjc3ZjA3MWM1OTQ1) **and the drama program**[having a role in Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-production.freetls.fastly.net%2Fuploads%2Fposts%2Fteaser_image%2F165735%2Fprince-harry-much-ado-hero.jpg%3Fauto%3Dcompress%26crop%3Dtop%26fit%3Dcrop%26q%3D55%26w%3D1200%26h%3D900&t=Y2ZjMDNkNGVjYWU1MDg1MDBhOTBlOWJiOWNkM2Y1M2YxYTdlYjFkMyw3ZTIyZjJkYWU2ZTlmZmJhMTVjZWUyYzFiZmQ2Y2IxZTEyNTkxMjVi)

[Harry](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia1.popsugar-assets.com%2Ffiles%2Fthumbor%2FmlF0NhAsOgvzUZE4YS2i6idHZbQ%2Ffit-in%2F1024x1024%2Ffilters%3Aformat_auto-%21%21-%3Astrip_icc-%21%21-%2F2018%2F08%2F30%2F739%2Fn%2F44344577%2F20707d26fe015c27_GettyImages-2064986%2Fi%2FPrince-Harry.jpg&t=NTViYzg3NDc1OWE0YTdkMjAwYzUwZTkxZWQ2ZWNlMTczNTE1Yjg1OCw4M2UxNDBjOGVmYjRlNDE0NzQ2Njg0NGVkYWVlMGMxNzI0ZWExZjI1) attended the private school from [**1998**  ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/df/6e/2c/df6e2cd30ddf304735803224fa2ef5e6.jpg)to [ **2003**](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fm0.joe.co.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F08%2F30115750%2FGettyImages-2064997-1024x749.jpg&t=YmE5MWEwNzU4YjRiYmNjNGQxZTYzNGRjZDEwNTY5NjJhY2IzMTVhNyxlYjM4NmE4MTM3MjY1M2JmMTdlYWYwNDhiNGI0M2IyMWZhM2FhNDJm)

William’s attendance was from: **[1995](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fa6%2F60%2F5e%2Fa6605e37dd1bbb707b793e03c18442f0.jpg&t=YTg1ZjU1YWUwN2JlNGQ3NDQ0ODI5YjU5NDE0ZmY4ZjJhNGM2Nzc1OSw5ZmE1ZDQ1NDhhNDc1ZjljMTkyOTcyZmQ3MGIxZmJlYjM2ZGM0MTdl)-[2000](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fteachershelp.ru%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F11%2Fwilliam-eton.jpg&t=YmI3OTlmNGNjYzk1NDY3NTRjMjlkYjZiYjA2NmRhZTA0ZmUzZjQ3MyxiNmViMzRjNmQ5MjAyZmZhOWFiYzYzYmRiNDRmYWEwZTFhYjcwZTM1).** He too was [also involved in sports](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fhips.hearstapps.com%2Fghk.h-cdn.co%2Fassets%2F15%2F36%2F1441217721-prince-william-eton-soccer.jpg&t=ODkzMzgxYmY1YzhkODM5Njc5NmMxMjIzNTk5YmIxNjRmODlmZWIzMCw0ZTEzZTE3MDY2MjJkZmU0M2ViMzhiNDdjMTAwMmUzN2I3M2Y4ODc2). If you want to learn more about his time at the school, there are articles filled with information. 

Story Timeline: 2016-2018 for now, some changes will be made as the story progresses. What those changes will be are currently disclosed at my discretion.

Now, onto the characters ages in this story: 

Prince Harry of Wales: Age 17 at the start. As of chapter one, he is currently on academic and behavioral suspension from Eton College. He has to take his courses online and do community service hours to make up for his lack of physical attendance for the rest of the current school year leading up to the beginning two months of the next academic year. 

Prince William of Wales: Age 20. William and Kate are aged up this story. 

Meghan Markle: Age 17 at the start. I aged her down to be the same age of Harry so it wouldn’t be awkward writing how they got together in this universe. Also, she IS a University Student in the story. She was granted the opportunity to skip dual-enrollment and graduate a year early at 16. (She’s a study abroad student from her real life alma mater Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois) 

Kate Middleton: Age 21 at the start. She is attending her and William’s alma mater St. Andrew’s University in Scotland. However, due to William studying abroad in Canada for a year, she too opts to join him. 

There is a lot of age swapping in the story but I had to do it to keep it consistent with how I’m writing everything. ~~(Also I’d feel~~ **uncomfortable** ~~writing Meghan as a 20 year old woman dating Harry who is 3 years younger than her at 17. The Power Dynamics and overall story would be doomed from the start.)~~

**Fun Facts:**

\- Prince Charles was originally going to attend Eton by Lord Mountbatten’s connections but Prince Philip sent him and his brothers to his alma mater Gordonstoun in Scotland instead. 

\- Princess Diana’s family the Spencers, have a family tradition of sending their men to Eton College. 


	5. Chapter 3 - Party Time

"Who do you want to invite to this unholy gathering William?" asked Harry, sitting in front of his laptop opening Microsoft Word.

William walked over to the sofa where his young brother sat, leaning over it.

He studied the names before it, making a face in disgust. Of all the people his brother could have invited, he listed **all his exes**!? Harry could seriously be a douche sometimes. He shot his brother a piercing state before contributing whom he wanted at the event.

"I think we should remove my exes and include: Guy, Cressida, Kate, Pippa, Skippy, .... hmm how about the Parker-Bowles crew?"

Harry shook his head, "Dude the last time we invited them, shit got so fucked up we had to pray Chelsy didn't get sent to the hospital."

The brothers had a mutual silence, reflecting on that night **vividly**. All they knew was everything which could’ve gone wrong did. How they managed to have Club H look like no one was borderline towards an overdose became a miracle. The boys enjoyed their step-siblings but sometimes they tended to take things a bit too far. For this occasion, not inviting them was the smart choice. The last thing they needed to happen was their father or anyone else grilling them on how irresponsible they were. This especially extends to Harry because he continued to walk on thin ice each day since Charles punished him. He already had a good portion of his freedom taken away. He didn’t need the last few bits of respect his father had for him internally to disappear. Harry never showed it, but despite his tough times lately, he wanted to at least try to do something good. Unfortunately, he just kept making stupid choices. This time, he couldn’t do such a thing.

"You're right Harry. No way we're letting that happen again."

Continuing his commentary "So, are you and Chelsy going to stay together while we're in Toronto? Or is it ending?"

The ginger bit the inside of his lip, "It's ending."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Harry stared into the distance quietly, "Don't worry about it. It was bound to end anyway. We just didn't click well at all."

The blonde shrugged his shoulders. "I could have told you that."

"SHUT UP WILLIAM!"

"Anyway, we need to get focused and seriously put this list together."

After sitting down for approximately 30 minutes, a proper list was compiled with all the names of the guests they approved of. The boys high-fived each other happy with their choices. The venue of course, would be their infamous Club H. Easy to enter, easy to exit. All they needed to do was get drinks, hire a DJ for the night (Guy of course), and get some food. Together, they decided their party would be on Saturday. Today was Thursday, it gave them enough time to properly plan this soiree, if you'd call it that. The day after on Sunday, there would be two days left before their official departure.

Time surely caught up to them. Their bedrooms at Kensington Palace that once looked like places two princes slept in, looked like a storage closet. All their clothes, cheap bedding, and other belongings were packed into cardboard boxes labeled as fragile. Sometimes Harry to tread carefully through his to ensure that nothing would fall over. He knew that most of the stuff they had wouldn't fit in their bedrooms at their apartment. Whatever couldn't fit where they slept would be used as decoration across their new home. With William's interior designer mind, they'd have the house fixed up in no time.

Saturday arrived with haste, Club H was transformed from a typical meeting spot for the brothers into a high swinging nightclub.  Blunts were rolled to perfection neatly placed on platters next to the all the food. The bar had liquor flowing endlessly on the tap, and the music Guy Pelly's handpicked going away playlist. Tupac started off the night, kicking it into gear.

_California love!_

_California, knows how to party_

_California, knows how to party_

_In the city of L.A._

_In the city of good ol' Watts_

_In the city, the city of Compton_

_We keep it rocking!_

_We keep it rocking!_

Little did Harry know, this song would frequently come to mind in the future.

The guests filed in quickly, with the music blaring through the speakers. William was supposed to be preoccupied with Kate but somehow found his way in a booth with Jecca. They talked amongst the loud music, drowning their giggles with flavored alcohol. Kate noticed this glaring at him, taking large gulps of her drink. Harry on the other hand sensing a debacle waiting to happen, pulled William's scorned girlfriend over to the dance floor. Together with him, Chelsy and Arthur they went loose as Tupac's lyrics got everyone into a frenzy.

_Now let me welcome everybody to the wild, wild west_

_A state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness_

_The track hits ya eardrum like a slug to ya chest_

_Pack a vest for your Jimmy in the city of sex_

_We in that sunshine state with a bomb ass hemp beat_

_The state where ya never find a dance floor empty_

_And pimps be on a mission for them greens_

_Lean mean money-making-machines serving fiends_  
  
Kate managed to temporarily be distracted for a while as the music kept pumping through the room. Chelsy pulled Harry over to the side, he took one shot glass and tossed it over to Thomas. In his hands next was blunt. Taking two puffs, he felt his body loosening up. Damn, he didn't realize how much he needed this. He wrapped one of arms around Chelsy, leaning his head onto her shoulder. Maybe he forgot what the plan was, but his body felt hot. Downing another shot as the music switched from Tupac to Outkast's 'The Way You Move', he let himself go all out before he had to leave. Maybe he didn't need to think this through. He could just let everything be how it was before just this one night.

Oh Harry, you just stepped into dangerous territory. Snap out of it!  
  
Grabbing Chelsy's hand, he took his newly peaked arousal out of the party room. William saw his brother leave but he was busy slathering his tongue down Kate's throat. His hands pulling her closer to him. Harry managed to slip into one of the empty rooms next door. Grabbing a condom from the fish bowl, his body knew exactly what was about to happen. If God could describe this scene with accuracy, Harry was actually about to blow everything off and completely fuck up once again. Was he about to have a hard fuck with Chelsy while completely gone?

Absolutely. What could he possibly have to lose?

It's not as if his morals weren't about to be completely tossed out the window, especially in regard to women.

R I G H T?

 _Go on and hit it_  
_That's what it's made for_  
_We got protection_  
_That's what it's made for_  
_Boo are you trippin' now_  
_You know I got it_  
_That's what it's made for_  
_So I can do you like this, baby_

 _So I can freak you like this, baby_  
_Know you gon' felt it like this, baby_  
_Girl I forgot it_  
_But we gon' still get down like this_

To spare your precious eyes, just know that Harry's hour with Chelsy was pretty eventful. Not bad for a prince leaving the country. Turning away from her facing the wall in front of him, the silence was deafening. Maybe it was the after effects of what just happened but reality hit him harshly. He felt his palms becoming sweaty and it felt colder in the room. Chelsy reached out to him but he inched himself away from her. God, now he had to really tell her what's going down. Rolling over to face her, he gave her a forced smile. The blonde read his blue eyes noticing they didn't have the flicker from before. They continued looking at each other, Harry took Chelsy's hand squeezing it.

As if T-Pain's Booty Wurk, couldn't have made this anymore awkward, Harry internally rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong Harry?" Chelsy continued studying his facial expression especially noting how he clenched his eyes shut, gritting his teeth.

"Chelsy, this wasn't supposed to happen."

"The sex?"

The ginger slowly inhaled carefully stringing his words together. He couldn't be a dick to Chelsy but considering how this situation turned out, he had no choice. There wasn't an easy way to break this to her. He already fucked up by fucking her. Good going Henry Charles Albert David, now you’ve got to end the already dying relationship with your going-to-be ex-girlfriend after sleeping with them. Of all the situations to be in, he had to put himself in this position.

Fuck his life, and fuck Chelsy's because after he drops the ball she was going to be pissed.

"Chelsy, us being together. It can't continue."

Chelsy felt as if her world was turning upside down. She moved from Zimbabwe to stay with him. She literally packed up her ENTIRE LIFE just to date Prince Harry. What's going on with him? Is he CRAZY!? Why the hell was he trying to end it?

"Is this because of your suspension or something!? What's going on Harry?"

"I can't be with you anymore. This relationship is dead. We both know this."

"HARRY WHAT THE HELL!?! I moved all the way over here to try to make this work."

" I never asked you to move all the way to the United Kingdom to be with me. You made that choice."

"Harry, you're seriously being a dick right now."

"Not as much of a dick as I've had to be trying to stay in a relationship that's been on its last legs. Let's be real Chelsy, do you really believe we're even a proper fit?"

"Yes."  
Harry paused before replying, blinking in response to her one-worded comment.

"Then tell me ONE good reason why we should remain together even after I leave."

"Because I love you."

"Not good enough. Love is an emotion that must be shared between two people. In this state we haven't even reached that state mutually.  Do you honestly think I'd reciprocate those same feelings? Do we even know each other at all?"

The Zimbabwean beauty felt his word sting against her heart like lashes from a whip. She couldn't believe what she heard just now. Harry and Chelsy were no more. Just a few days ago everything seemed fine but now after just having sex he was ready to throw in the towel. She was part of the exclusive circle of rich couples groomed for success. Yet, this third in line asshole wanted to spike it like a volleyball.

What's in the water down here in England?

**This COULD NOT be happening right now.**

Chelsy sat there in shock while Harry got up, throwing the used condom into the trash bin. He put his boxers and pants on. He grabbed his shirt tossing it on and throwing his cap onto his head.

"Look Chelsy, you're a nice girl but we're like water and oil. If it helps you were a cute personal space heater. Your tits were a nice size too. Anyway, I'll see when I see you."

CUTE PERSONAL SPACE HEATER!?

He might as well just tell her she was a disposable blow up sex doll.

She knew _William_ could be an undercover dick, but _Harry_ just threw her completely under the bus with no regard of her feelings.

Fuck him! He's been so far up his ass lately it's amazing she put up with him.

Damned royal princes, like father like sons huh?

Right on time, Jay-Z's “Onto the Next One” played as Harry opened the door leaving without looking back. He wasn't proud of how he handled things in the other room but it's better to cut off the dead weight than to carry it with him to Toronto. Besides, did she even know him at all or him knowing her? Their relationship overall was based on impulses, sex and liquor. Sure, he was impulsive, loved his liquor and wild sex but when paired with someone as wild as him it's sure to backfire. It did one too many times. They often fought, had crazy makeup sex in some interesting locations, and yes, she was the girl he fucked at Thomas' party a few months back outside. This shit had to stop, it became so routine to the point that the thrills they had when it first started ultimately are chores.

_I got a million ways to get it, choose one (choose one)_

_Hey, bring it back, now double your money and make a stack_

_I'm on to the next one_

_On to the next_

_I'm on to the next one_

_On to the next_

_I'm on to the next one_

Just like that he was onto the next one, a new chapter in his life. No more meaningless bullshit from Chelsy to distract him. He needed substance and he knew for himself it meant making changes. He just didn't want to have think about it all at once.

Pace yourself Harry, take your time. No need to rush into anything or overdo it.

Meanwhile, William seemed to be having quite a _fulfilling_ night of his own. Somehow he, Kate, Jecca and Isabella wound up in a very predictable orgy. Predictably sarcastic because all the eldest son could remember was that he kissed Kate first. He had been focused on that but somehow Jecca and Isabella came into the picture. He had to figure out how to get out of this scenario and fast. While it would be very easy to blame his younger brother, he had to use common sense. Blaming it on the alcohol could do it but he KNEW it would backfire.

Quietly removing himself from the sleeping women's grasp, he tactfully placed their arms around each other. Maybe if it looked like they were the ones together it could give him the prime moment to get out scot free. If there's one thing about William, he was just as wild as his brother. He just knew how to calculate how to not get caught, unlike Harry. This skill has saved him from plenty of problems within his lifetime. He especially didn't need any problems before leaving.

Making his escape, he returned to the party seeing that the rest of the party goers were drunkenly singing to Queen's "We Are the Champions."

Somewhere in the midst of this chaos, Kate's little sister Pippa was face down into a cooler. Her face was drenched in the icy water. William shook his head, if there was one person maybe even crazier than Harry himself, Pippa surely took the cake. He'd never seen a girl as wild as her before.

Then again, he knew once he went overseas, he'd meet some crazier ones. Perhaps he'd meet one right under his nose through his little brother. He scoffed at the thought, after the way Harry quickly tumbled into Chelsy's skirt he was sure he wouldn't. Yet, he couldn't have been anymore wrong once the devil brought his sibling into his sight. He looked quite pissed and his face was completely red.

"Let me guess you broke up with her, didn't you?"

"Yup."

"Was it easy?"

"Yeah I think she took it pretty well."

Within seconds of Harry's response, he felt a slap across his cheek. Chelsy stood before him huffing. She curled her hand into a fist, but before she could make her mark, William blocked her.

"Chelsy, I know you're upset but punching him won't solve any problems."

"YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF FUCKING ASSHOLES! I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ANYONE COULD DATE EITHER OF YOU!"

Harry shrugged his shoulders, if she didn't want to date him why did she pursue his offer? It's not like she _couldn't_ have said no.

Turning towards his brother, he shrugged his shoulders before leaving to go to his room. Tomorrow was his final day of being in London. Their flight to leave was bumped up to Monday. All Harry wanted to do was take his last 24 hours to just block everything out. This party got a lot out of his system but he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Tossing himself onto his bed, he let out a lengthy yawn. He quickly got up and washed himself off, removing the stenches of sweat, semen, and Chelsy's perfume. Returning to his nearly bare mattress, he laid down. It didn't take long for sleep overtake him. He felt as if he was floating on a cloud in the midst of complete darkness. Tomorrow was a new day and maybe he could take the time to tie up anymore loose ends. Hell, what else was there to tie? It didn't matter at this point, the gears in his mind turned themselves off letting him slumber.

Whatever, he had to face he could deal with it later in the afternoon.

_Sleep tight Harry, for your last few hours are on the horizon._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs included in this chapter
> 
> Chapter Title - Time To Party by Craig David 
> 
> Songs within the text: 
> 
> Jay-Z ft Swizz Beats - Onto The Next One  
> Tupac ft Dr. Dre - California Love  
> Usher - That's What It's Made For 
> 
> The list of all of Prince Harry and Prince William's party guests: 
> 
> The Official Party Guest List  
> Guy Pelly  
> Skippy  
> Chelsy  
> Arthur  
> Charlie  
> Thomas  
> Sam  
> Hugh V.C.  
> Jake  
> Jecca  
> Isabella  
> Kate  
> William V.C.  
> James  
> Peter  
> Zara  
> Most definitely excluded: Parker-Bowles Siblings


	6. Chapter 4 - Hello Toronto!

Two days after the party which shall not be recalled, Harry and William found themselves quickly on a plane headed to Toronto. Harry for one while reluctant to show it, barely contained his excitement. The minute they entered the car to head to the airport, he grinned internally. He understood his shipment with his brother to Toronto is the consequence for his outburst, and completely off the wall behavior. Yet, something in his gut burst with energy for having time away from his academic hell hole. Of course, his living situation with his brother would be a culture shock but he didn't fucking care. All he knew was that his community service and therapy aside, he was away from the fishbowl. No more feeling like he was constantly being watched (outside of his bodyguards and brother), all he had to do is accomplish his tasks and find a way to have fun.

William on the other hand remained stoic in his disposition on the matter. He absolutely loathed how Harry got a free meal ticket off of his back due to his outburst at school. If he did anything remotely similar to what Harry had done two weeks ago, his ass would have been in the stocks. He could sense his brother was excited. Not wanting to kill his joy he gave him a small smile. Of all the shit, he had to deal with this was one he nearly felt the need to strangle his own father for. Harry's shit had NOTHING to do with him. But of course, Charles wanted to be the dynamic parent that had to compensate since their mother was gone. All he wanted was his own space but Harry had to be shoved into the picture. Archetypal Henry, acting selfishly without thinking of others.

The irony of it all is how William _completely_ misunderstands just how similar he is to his brother in some respects.

Once the brothers landed, a car was already ready for them. They managed to skip customs due to their royal status. When they entered the car, Kesha's Tik Tok blasted through the speakers. William put his noise cancelling headphones on, drowning out the noise of Harry's obnoxious 'singing'. These next 11 months had best to propel him to get his shit together because this was only day one, and William wasn't having his brother's mess. Harry looked over at him noticing his frosty demeanor. He opted not to say anything, he knew better than to mess with a jet-lagged William. The last time he did, he really caught hands over it. Anyway, Harry figured since he was here why not let his excitement out of his system. Weird Al Yankovic's Canadian Idiot.

_Don't wanna be a Canadian idiot_

_Don't wanna be some beer swillin' hockey nut_

_And do I look like some frostbitten hose-head?_

_I never learned my alphabet from A to Zed_

He banged his head against the driver's seat.  William turned towards him with pure disgust. The elder Windsor didn't have to even ask he just knew Weird Al was playing. He'd never understand Harry's wild tastes in artists. How does one go from Tupac, and Slip Knot to FUCKING WEIRD AL !? Well, he had to count his blessings. At least it wasn't that dreaded Kesha song again  - speak of the devil now.

_Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy (Hey, what up girl?)_

_Grab my glasses, I'm out the door; I'm gonna hit this city (Let's go)_

_Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack_

_'Cause when I leave for the night, I ain't coming back_

Fuck it all, Harry was catching these hands. Ain't nobody got time for Kesha or her autotuned shit she calls music. What else could Harry play next Selena Gomez !?!!?

_When you're ready come and get it_

_Na na na na_

_Na na na na_

_Na na na na_

_When you're ready_

_When you're ready, ready_

_When you're ready come and get it_

_Na na na na_

_Na na na na_

_Na na na na_

GOD DAMMIT !

With a rapid turn of the vehicle, they were pulling into the University of Toronto's apartment complex. The bodyguards took the boys' belongings, quickly escorting them inside of the building. They made haste ensuring they were all in their rooms. Aforementioned, lived right next door. When the brothers entered their new humble abode, they saw all of their boxes in neat stacks according to their name. Harry let out a cheeky grin.

"WELCOME TO FUCKING TORONTO! WE'RE HERE BITCH!"

William bit the inside of his mouth, he slowly inhaled.

Did his father really think he and Harry would actually be fine living together for 12 months!?

Either way, they were here and it's too late to turn back.

Besides, he knew he couldn't beat his brother's excitement, so he opted to join him.

"WE'RE HERE IN TORONTO BITCH !!!"

The first night was a slightly eventful one. When they got the wifi connected and a good portion of their boxes unpacked, they decided to order take out and binge some shows on Netflix. While that was going on, Harry had to check his online blackboard program to get all of the deadlines for any upcoming assignments. Luckily for him, his professors understood that with him working in a different time zone and online, his deadlines were based on the time zone in Toronto. As for William, he quietly stuffed his mouth with the Chinese they ordered. The sound of him slightly slurping the tasty noodles was music to his own ears. Maybe and that's a hard Maybe according to the heir's standards, living with Harry wouldn't be so bad. All he hoped was that he could have time to spend with Kate in peace, and of course **HIS OWN SPACE**.

Speaking of Kate, he needed to call her soon. He knew she lived somewhere within the complex. She did tell him if Harry became too much, he can always swing by to spend the night. Bless his "girlfriend", she was always so accommodating. Her family was nice too, the Middletons an upper-middle class brood. Pippa was a little clingy though. The younger brother James, well .... he had a goat? Mum and Pa Middleton were straight for the most part. Why is he even thinking so hard about this? Whatever, he's here now and Kate is too, that's enough to make him happy.

Harry closed his laptop, turning his attention to the screen before him. Did William really put on Jane The Virgin? Good grief, it's as if he wanted him to pick between Rafael and Michael. While he enjoyed the quips and perks of the show, Peaky Blinders was more his thing. If anyone had the questionable tastes in the family, it wasn't him it was William. Not that there's anything wrong with binging a telenovela inside of a telenovela but you could hear a pin drop with how invested his brother was. He patted William's head, reaching over to steal one of his fortune cookies. Opening it, he read the message before him while crunching on the bland treat.

_'Everybody needs love.'_

He opted to chuck the slip of paper. The LAST THING he needed was love of any kind, especially not now. His social, personal and professional life were a mess. He'd been kicked out of London for shitty behavior, and almost had charges pressed against him for battery. If there was any love he needed, it should be his mother's. Running his hands through his hair, he tucked the slip of paper into one of his pockets.

Perhaps he didn't have to go looking for love at all. Maybe it could be somewhere closer than he thinks.  
He rolled over, smashing his face into one of the pillows on the sofa. Stealing one more of William's unattended food, he chewed focusing in on the episode of Jane's life. The day after tomorrow, he'd start his first day at the Hubb Community Kitchen. He'd be working with a group of ladies and some University students. Due to his experience from an early age, along with Charles' friend pulling some strings, he'd be set for the year. He thought to when they left London earlier in the morning. He danced along to 'Kiss Him Goodbye.' He kissed London goodbye. Hopefully his friends wouldn't be too miserable with him no longer at Eton physically. Perchance, they could visit sometime. Either way, he was determined to make the necessary changes for the better. The time was now.

  _Na Na Na_

_Na Na Na_

_Hey Hey Goodbye London!_

_Hello Toronto!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this chapter is shorter than the others but I wanted to quickly end the London Arc and get into Toronto as soon as I could.


	7. Chapter 5 - She's No You

From the moment Harry stepped into the Hubb Kitchen to begin his fourth consecutive week of community service, he felt right at home with the ladies he worked with. The women were no-nonsense but provided a sense of motherly figures for him. There was Belinda, the head chef of the organization, physically she was 76 but emotionally it's as if you were speaking to a 35-year-old. She truly welcomed him into the kitchen's culture. Sure, he had his moments where he was a little prickly but he remembers how Diana instilled him at an early age giving back was essential. If only she could see him now, despite the circumstances of how he got to this place, she'd be proud to see him productive. Do it for her Harry, make Mummy proud.

He spent approximately 40 hours a week on his feet, scrubbing pots, and pans. Cleaning the tables, along with sweeping and mopping the floors. When he wasn't doing that, he assisted the ladies with serving the hot meals to all of the visitors that came in. Two times a week the local university theatre troupe would come in to assist the staff with serving meals. They worked every Wednesday and Friday. Along with that, the students performed musical pieces for the children.

Though he wouldn't admit it, Harry found himself singing along to the lyrics of the songs. This week's musical number was "Mama Who Bore Me" from the Broadway hit Spring Awakening. A girl with freckles and straightened thick hair was the chosen soloist. Though he didn't really talk to her much, she seemed quite bubbly. Every time he'd look at her, his heart skipped a few beats. He didn't know why it kept happening to him but even hearing her laughter made him smile inside. She was incredibly talented that's for sure. Maybe if he had the chance, he'd get to learn her name.

If he remembered correctly, it started with the letter "M" or "N".

Rising out of bed, Harry quickly scanned his calendar to see what's on the schedule for him today. That's right, after working his eight hours, he had to visit his therapist. Groaning, he internally dreaded it. It's not that he hated him but there were things he could be doing instead of sitting in that uncomfortable leather chair talking about his problems. For example, he could stay after a few minutes at the kitchen finally learning the freckled girl's name. He'd much rather do that.

"HARRY! STOP FAPPING TO HALLE BERRY AND LET'S GO!"  
  
Shaking himself out of a stupor, Harry quickly got ready for the day and grabbed a pop tart. Heading out the door, he shoved his brother against the wall.

"William, shut up!"

The elder brother cocked an eyebrow, Harry wasn't slick. He knew his little brother had a crush on someone. There's no way, he could be THIS ready to go to fill in some hours at the kitchen. He'd even come home humming musical tunes and looking them up online just to sing them all over again. Whatever, that kitchen did to Harry, he couldn't complain. At least he was being productive and not causing any problems. Charles would be proud. Speaking of, they needed to call their father. It'd been four weeks since they got here in Toronto but neither or them remembered to call. Hopefully, his royal highness wouldn't be too upset.

After a brief 10-minute drive, Harry smiled to himself as William pulled up to the entrance of the kitchen.

"You know Harry you've been really happy lately. What's up?"

Harry quickly turned towards his elderly pain in the ass with a neutral expression.

"............................ ??????"

"Don't play dumb Harry I know!"

" ????????????"

Harry turned towards the door, making a brisk exit. He generously flipped his brother off with both hands before entering the kitchen. As always, William had something to hang over his head but not this time. Henry Charles Albert David was on a good streak. Today was a good day. Wednesday November 9th, 2016, the day his life would change in the best way possible.

Getting into his usual routine, he went straight to work helping to prep the meals for brunch. The ladies let him come in a little late today since Belinda and Gloria were the only ones there. Ironically enough, he didn't notice that the freckled girl was present until she volunteered herself to help him with cutting the rolls. Together, the two made the perfect team. Trying to make light of the situation, he opted to crack a joke.

"What's warmer than the buns we're serving today? "

The freckled girl blinked shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't know, what?"

"You."

She scrunched up her nose, shaking her head. Her giggles filled the room, as he smirked.

"You're terrible at this!"

Harry shot her a cheesy wink.

"Have to break the ice somehow."

Together, the pair were shuffled along to set the table. Afterwards, the girl's troupe approached them motioning for her to practice her solo.  
  
Sitting with the rest of the troupe, Belinda and Gloria they waited for the girls to return. The lights were dimmed to set the mood, and the soloist reappeared. There were chairs placed around her, as she sat on the floor. Based upon the scene, she was holding an old photograph of her character's mother. Finger snaps provided the introduction to the musical number.

"Mama who bore me, I have no way to handle things. My life is a mess. Why did you birth me into such a dark world?"

The strumming of a guitar added to the somber tone of the number. Taking a slow breath, the thespian allow herself to be immersed into the character's emotions. 

_Mama who bore me_

_Mama who gave me_

_No way to handle things_

_Who made me so sad_

_Mama, the weeping_

_Mama, the angels_

_No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem_

Harry slowly found himself immersed into the lyrics. Though he may not have related with the character, the lyrics spoke to him. He listened having to resist the urge to nod along. For a University thespian, she sure needed to go on Broadway. Damn, the girl was talented. Could our rebellious prince be developing a crush? Never before had he been so blown away by someone. He could attest to it as well. It's like she didn't even try, and he became drawn to her. However, as intrigued as he was, he needed to get himself together before he could ever get to someone completely out of his league. Besides, he still needed to get her name.

_Some pray that, one day, Christ will come a-callin'_

_They light a candle, and hope that it glows_

_And some just lie there, crying for him to come and find them_

_But when he comes, they don't know how to go_

He turned over to Belinda's direction. She gave him a small smile before continuing to listen contently to the performer's interpretation. The girl slowly rose from the ground reaching her hand, before getting to the song's climax. She positioned herself onto her knees, clutching the air in a fist. One more tear streamed down her freckled cheek. She sang the final verse of the song letting its words sink into the atmosphere.

_Mama who bore me_

_Mama who gave me_

_No way to handle things_

_Who made me so sad_

_Mama, the weeping_

_Mama, the angels_

_No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem_

The lights went out briefly before they were turned on again. The small audience gave the performer a round of applause. She did a little bow, before returning to the kitchen to help with the food. Harry got up, following her to the same destination. The afternoon rush was coming in, they needed to get ready. Slacking of any kind during a Wednesday rush was the worst. The lines were long thus making small talk impossible.

"You did great with your solo earlier."

"Thank you!"

"No problem! By the way what's your name?"

"It's Meghan. Yours?"

Harry paused before continuing, did he _really_ want to give out his name?  
  
It's not like anyone here in the kitchen knew or _cared_ that he was a Prince.  
  
Why not? What could you possibly have to lose Harry?

"My name's Harry."

"It's nice to meet you! Y'know you kind of look like - nah never mind."

"Who? Tell me."

"I was going to say you looked like that Prince's little brother everyone's been hyping up at the University. Honestly, between you and me his photographs are not as nice."

Meghan wasn't wrong but **DAMN**. She might as well as called them shitty.  
  
"Funny, because I sure don't see the resemblance."  
  
"Consider yourself blessed because they're quite overhyped. I just don't get the appeal at all, girls just gas them up like they're some gods."   
  
He understood that, I mean considering he lived the life of the overhyped Prince's younger brother, he totally got it.   
  
Wait, she meant him too. SHIT!   
  
Talk about your breath of fresh air! 

Thinking about it, he can use this to his advantage because as long as he's 'Harry Wales' here no one is going to care, if he's a Prince. Especially not her judging by her obvious indifference towards them.

 _Perfect_ , now he really had a fresh start.

Meghan, Meghan, Meghan, her name was Meghan. He liked how her name fit her so well. If there was one person to truly look forward to during his 40 hours it was her. He knew he wanted to talk to her more, that's for sure. She just radiated this energy that drew him in.

_Meghan ~_

A little later following the start of the dinner shift, Harry had to prepare to leave early to meet his therapist. The smile he had on his face would easily cause William to ask questions. Straightening himself up, he bid goodbye to everyone. Just as he was preparing to exit the building, Meghan gave him a small wave with that cheery smile of hers. Ugh, if she were sugar, he'd be dying of all the sweetness because he gave her quite the toothy grin, waving back. He couldn't wait to see her - fuck she wouldn't be here tomorrow. Well, he then Friday would be another great day with her around. 

_She's no you, oh no_

_You give me more than I could ever want_

_She's no you, oh no_

_I'm satisfied with the one I've got_

_'Cause you're all the girl_

_That I ever dreamed_

_She's only a picture on a magazine_

_She's no you, she's no you_

William once again for the third time today, snapped his brother out of his stupor.

"HARRY! HURRY UP! STOP DAYDREAMING!"

Could he just let him be with his own thoughts for five minutes!? He knew he had a therapist appointment but jeez! All Charles said was that they be PUNCTUAL for all engagements, not ANAL! Whatever was going on with William, he needed to relax. A few minutes won't hurt him. His therapist was chill anyway.

_'Cause you're all the girl_

_That I ever dreamed_

_She's only a picture on a magazine_

_She's no you, she's no you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mama Who Bore Me is from the Musical Spring Awakening 
> 
> She's No You is by Jesse McCartney


	8. Chapter 6 - A Beautiful Mind

The clatter of the doctor's pen increased Harry's anxiousness. It's back to the same routine this week. Talk about his feelings, progress for the week, but this time for the twist explain if he's had any growth. Has he even any significant within these past four weeks to begin with? From what he could recall during this somewhat whirlwind of a period thus far, he left London on October and it was November 9th. He'd only been here _three weeks_ but from what the therapist was referring to he meant, between his fuck up versus now. Almost 22 days to a month. Damn, time sure was flying.

"Harry, you've been sitting there staring off into space. Is something wrong?"

Harry looked at one of the objects on Dr. Sirmon's desk, "No. I'm fine."

"I asked you how your progress for this month was. It's been 45 minutes of utter silence."

The prince fiddled with his ring finger trying to contemplate a response.

"I can't asses your progress without an answer-"

"My month from when the incident happened has been somewhat decent."

The ginger continued staring everywhere but at the doctor. He really felt like his nerves were shot. It's awkward speaking to someone like this. He never really did it before and honestly, he'd much rather be at home or at the kitchen. If Headmaster Winchester really thought that signing him up for therapy would help, he surely had the wrong idea. How was he supposed to just summarize the very little that occurred within that space of time?

Think of something Harry, anything. ANYTHING!!!

"Well, I've been helping out at the kitchen. I find it a bit enjoyable. I'm able to meet new people and broaden my horizons."

The therapist clicked his pen, scribbling down Harry's statements verbatim. 

Clicking the roof of his mouth the prince continued, " My brother and I are talking more since we live together."

It was somewhat of a lie. Since they've lived together the only time they converse is in the morning. Even then, it's brief due to their schedules. Anytime William tried to strike up a conversation it was him picking into Harry's brain. He didn't like that, so when he tried reverse psychology, William tended to give him vague answers. Beyond that they stuck to the usual 'Hi' and 'Bye'.

God he really hated stretching the truth to his therapist but it's not like he'd know.

"Harry, when you're explaining things to me, the least you could do is be transparent. I know you're reluctant to speak but this is for your own good. Maybe we should try this in smaller steps."

Smaller steps, yes thank you! Of course, it would be easier to break everything down that way. Wait, how would he summarize these past three weeks that were again routine? Every time his therapist would try a different method, getting the words out of Harry's mouth became a challenge. Not to mention, he still owed his father a phone call. He hated having to explain himself but in this case his options were limited.

Just do what the therapist wants Harry. You'll be fine, take it a week at a time. In fact, why not start with this week? You can talk about the girl you met.

Meghan - yes perfect!

"I met a girl named Meghan today. She's part of the theatre program at the University. I see her at the community center every Wednesday and Friday."

Dr. Sirmons raised his eyebrows, leaning in to take in this newly revealed information.

"When you're around her, how do you feel?"

Harry felt his face warm a little, "Content."

"Prior to meeting her, could you describe your emotions while working at the kitchen?"

The third-in-line to the throne rolled his tongue around his teeth, "My time at the kitchen has made me productive. I'm not under a fishbowl. It especially helps that I'm hidden in plain sight too."

"When you say, _'Hidden in Plain Sight'_ , do you mean in regard to your status as a prince?"

The ginger nodded. "Yes."  
  
"So if someone were to discover that you are, Prince Harry of Wales they'd treat you differently?"

Harry rolled his eyes. Was the doctor _SERIOUSLY_ asking that question!? He is the son of CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES and DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES. What the fuck did he _THINK_ would happen!? How else is someone supposed to treat him if they knew who he was? This isn't fucking Sandhurst Military College. This is a Prince of England, out of the country doing community service quietly. It's not like he's his Uncles Andrew or Edward. He is the younger brother of the hottest most eligible bachelor according to the media on the planet. It would be a HUGE deal if anyone else knew who he really was. 'Harry Wales' was the safe test option even though using Wales for his last name still harbored a risk.

"Absolutely."

"When they see you as just your title, how do you feel?"

"I feel sick inside. Excluding those who know me best, I often feel as if I'm not even a person. I'm just an object that's part of a family of figureheads. I just happen to be the youngest brother and son of the longest standing heirs to the throne. My job is to basically be my father and my brother's keeper."

"Is that _so_?"

"Precisely, when I'm around my circle of friends I still stick out like a sore thumb. They too come from the same privileged backgrounds of old-time wealth like myself. However, they don't have the restrictions that I do. Being here and not known as a prince it's freeing honestly."

"Does anyone at the college know your brother is studying abroad?"

"Yeah, I heard from the girl I met, that he's the hot shot on campus. I feel sorry for them though. If only they knew what a square he is."

"So you think that if they knew you were a Prince they'd try to use you to get to him?"

"Even if they tried, they'd have to be smarter than that. They can't be so predictable."

Dr. Sirmons continued scanning over his notes, he lifted his head nodding.

"Now, to the final part of our time together. Can you tell me a bit about this person you've met today."

"Why?"

"Judging by the slight twinkle in your eyes earlier, something tells me they impressed you."

"Well, she and I only introduced ourselves just today. So far I think she's nice."

" I'm glad you at least have someone to talk to during your shift."

"I converse with the other ladies as well."

"Harry, just between us men I have this inkling feeling talking to her more may do you some good. Though it's still a process getting you to open up, she seems like someone you want to engage with."

"Are you basically telling me to pursue her!?"

Dr. Sirmons sighed, of course teenage boys are walking, talking raging hormones. It wasn't part of protocol to say it but he sure could think it.

"Harry, what I'm saying is talk with her. She seems to be rubbing off on you. I don't know where you got pursue from please remember you're not in some sort of an arranged marriage. This is the real world."

Harry blushed, I mean it wasn't like he was going to pursue Meghan or anything. It's just the way the therapist came off about it. Jeez.

"Moving on, I will see you for our next appointment next week on Friday."

"There isn't an appointment this Friday?"

"No, I had it canceled because I'll be out of town for a convention. Try to keep your head screwed on until I get back."

Wow, he really had no faith in him at all, it's okay doc you don't have to hide your feelings!

"I know what you're thinking and I do have faith in you Harry. Windsor Castle wasn't built in a day. You'll get through it."

"Thank you. See you next week !"

"Try to continue your good streak and when we meet again, don't tell me anymore half truths about William. Okay ?"

_Well damn, just drag him why don't you?_

"Gotcha."

Following his appointment, William picked him up and they went home. To his surprise, his brother actually cooked one of Diana's best dishes. Seeing everything well plated, already heated made him smile. Sure William could have the mental capacity of a brick wall but when it came down to sentimental gestures towards him, nothing beat whipping up one of mom's meals. For tonight's dinner it was Spaghetti and Meatballs with Garlic Bread. Happily sitting down to eat, Harry let the food soothe his soul. There's just something about eating a specific comfort that brings you back to a simpler time. He could think back to one of the nights when he and William spend time with Diana during the divorce. They were hunkered down in the kitchen helping her making the treasured dish. He remembered trying to sneak himself some garlic rolls only for William to be a snitching ass bitch. Though he laughs at it now, he vividly remembers flipping him off when mummy wasn't looking. When their mother gave them her undivided attention, he could feel her hugs through the food. He missed her so much. Harry truly needed this dinner after the craziness of last month. It was like she was here with him, telling him it'd be okay. 

He was going to get through this, and prove to himself, he can _change_ for the better.

All it takes is working step by step towards growth.

Deciding to finally quit avoiding calling his father, Harry picked up the phone to do just that. The phone automatically signaled a disconnected tone. Fuck, he forgot if he wanted his phone to work he needed to pay his own bill. That didn't mean he couldn't make calls or use the smuggled gift cards (at least 20 of them to be exact) from friends to get his iPhone under a service provider here in Toronto. That would be on his list for the weekend. Besides that, he could look towards getting a part time job too. He refused to let his father see him not make some of himself.

Opening up the application of Google Hangout, he clicked on the phone icon, setting it to call Charles. He didn't care that it was 3:00am, his father had to deal with it. A few more minutes passed before a scraggly British accent answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hi Pa!" 

"Ah Hello Harry. What time is it in Toronto?"

"Like 10 something over here. I just called to check in." 

"That's good for you son, but it's 3am here. Mind if I take a raincheck."

"No problem."

"Bye!"

"Goodbye H-"

Harry immediately ended the call. What was he thinking? It's not like how it was back home where he could pop up at Clarence House at the most inconvenient hour. Dammit, he missed the conveniences of being in the same time zone. Oh well, he needed to finish the last bit of his essay on the physics of two box cars. Luckily his friends were able to help him tackle the equations.

Looking over at the clock he realized it was almost midnight. He needed to get to bed, tomorrow was another shift at the kitchen.

Get some rest, and dream on Harry. Always ensure that you get an adequate amount of sleep throughout the night. Sweet dreams you rebellious one.

_Sweet dreams._


	9. Chapter 7 - Beautiful Soul

“Oh!”  
  
Was Harry dreaming or did he just hear a very familiar moan through the walls of the apartment?  
  
“YES!”  
  
“Hn.”  
  
Is William watching porn?  
  
“OH ~!”  
  
Deciding he had nothing to lose, Harry pressed his head against the wall. What time was it anyway? Judging by the darkness outside, he knew it was late. All he could remember was after he called Pa, he went straight to bed. Turning on his iPhone the time stated: 5:00 am. More moans and the slapping of skin woke him up. After a few minutes, the skin slapping sounds stopped. Maybe he spoke to soon because in the middle of exhaling he heard spitting and loud sucking noises.

“Mm Babykins!”  
  
William was fucking Kate, well more like she’s amid giving him a blowjob after he penetrated her. Good lord of all the things he wanted to hear at this ungodly hour. No wonder William bought those noise cancelling headphones all those years ago. At least he didn’t have to see her face while he rammed his cock down her – oh lovely, there go the mental images to accompany the visuals. He didn’t have to be up until 6:30 but here he was now in the dark hearing his brother fuck his girlfriend.  
  
What a beautiful way to start your day huh?  
  
“Yes! Yes! Eat my pussy William! YESSSS!”  
  
He’d never tell his brother he was an almond again. Whatever he’s doing over there with Kate’s pussy he’s obviously doing a good job because he can hear it through the walls.  
  
“Fuck you’re so wet Babykins.”

Oh, hell no!! Harry wasn’t about to be subjected to this shit. Leaving his room, he threw one his shoes at William’s door.

“FUCK OFF HARRY!”

"THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE FREE PORN"

"YOU'RE WEL- OHHHH FUCK YESS KATE EAT MY ASS!"

Harry took several steps back. Not that he had a problem with his own ass being eaten but he didn't need to hear that. That was enough of the heterosexual intercourse for one night. Goddamn, never in his life did he ever expect to hear that coming from his brother's mouth. He couldn't lie though, getting one's ass eaten was a pleasurable experience. One time okay several times at Eton, he experimented with the same sex and getting fucked in the ass was a great feeling. Hey, at least William was finally broadening his horizons in the bedroom. Great now he wanted to get his ass eaten and stretched now, shit.

Closing the door to his room, he slipped in some noise-cancelling earbuds and went back to sleep. Unfortunately, time wasn't too kind to him because he wound up sleeping until noon. By the time he realized what had happened, William and Kate were gone for the day, as well as the bodyguards. God he was going to be so screwed if he didn't get those community service hours filled. Walking over to the kitchen, William left him a note.

_'Sorry for earlier this morning, I called and let the kitchen know you're under the weather, so you can sleep in. - Wombat'_

Aww, his brother did care, how sweet.

He'd never admit it, but William could be pretty decent when he wasn't so calculated.

Deciding he'd spend the afternoon touring Toronto alone, Harry quickly got changed and headed out the door. Where to first? Checking his wallet, he remembered he also needed to exchange his euros and pounds for Canadian dollars. How could he have forgotten to do that since he got here? Guess when your busy certain things slipped his mind. Luckily, he took two of his gift cards with him just in case he got stuck (yes, they were Canadian currency cards). To the bank it is.

Walking down the stairs towards the elevators he walked right into a familiar face. Adjusting himself, he helped the girl up and smiled when he recognized who it was.

"Hey Meghan! How are you?"

"Hi Harry! You weren't at the kitchen today.  Is everything okay?"

Oh right, he forgot he's "supposed" to be sick.

"Yeah, just a little under the weather but I'll be straight."

Meghan nodded, "Alright well I hope you get well soon!"

"Thanks"

Not wanting the conversation to end so soon, Harry called out to her.

"Wait, are you doing anything this afternoon?"

The brunette shook her head, "No, my afternoon classes are cancelled due to a symposium for the Seniors."

She's free Harry, take advantage of the opportunity you smitten, love-sick puppy!

"Would you like to accompany me while I run some errands? We could grab dinner or something."

Her brown eyes sparkled, as she smiled, "Sure! I'd like that! I can also see you live in the apartments like I do. Which floor?"

Harry snapped himself out of his obvious daydream, "This one. You?"

"I live on the floor above. Let me put my stuff down, and then we can go okay?"

"No problem! You're worth the wait."

WHOA THERE HARRY! WHOA WHOA WHOA!

"Well thank you, I'm flattered."

OKAY MEGHAN! MM!

They were going to run errands together! No, this isn't a date but it's a perfect way to start talking. Harry couldn't have been any more excited. Funny how timing works out so perfect -

"Harry! You can come with me if you want."

"Right! Sorry just felt a little sleepy."

"If you keep moving, you'll wake up."

Together, the Californian Sunshine and the Peaky Blinder headed to her apartment. From the second his foot hit the entrance of the building, he could hear two girls talking over the sounds of the Bollywood song "Gun Gun Gunaree". Harry couldn't remember what film it was from, but he recalled the scene being a birthday party with the girl trying to surprise her boyfriend, something like that. Bobbing his head along, he walked with Meghan to her room.

"PRIYANKA! STOP USING MY ULTA BEAUTY 'NIGHTMARE' EYESHADOW IT'S TOO DARK FOR YOU!"

Turning towards where the voice was coming from, he saw a dark-skinned athletic girl with her hair in cornrow braids. If he didn't know any better, he would have assumed she was the star athlete of the school. Honestly, she probably was but he didn't want to judge and then be wrong.

"SERENA **YOU TOLD ME I** COULD BORROW ONE OF THE PALATES!"

The next girl appeared wearing her hair in a messy ponytail with a black Tupac Hoodie on. She pursed her lips into smirk, while wiggling her eyebrows. Harry could spot a thespian from a mile away and he knew immediately she was one. The Hamilton socks on her feet were a dead giveaway.

Meghan sure had some interesting roommates. Anyway, Harry needed to mind his own business before their problems became his. Quickly turning his attention to his errands buddy, he saw how she decorated her room. The walls were orange, and across from her bed was an embellished bulletin board of musical bills, political campaign posters and pictures of all her friends. He also spotted photographs of her in different countries like Malta, Austria, and Turkey. Man, what hasn't this girl done!? Could he be any more impressed with her?!

After a few minutes, Meghan got her stuff properly organized.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah! Let's go!"

Meghan lead the way, exiting her room with Harry following closely behind her.

"I'd introduce you to the ladies but they're in the middle of re-organizing some stuff so a little later -"

Priyanka and Serena popped their heads from behind the wall, raising their eyebrows at Meghan.

"UH UH! You bring a three-legged creature home we need to be introduced girl!"

"You weren't slick! We saw that chicken-legged Weasley!"

Meghan tried to contain her laughter, but she found herself in a miniature fit of giggles.

"Okay! Okay! Ladies, this is Harry, the guy I told you about at the Kitchen."

SHE TALKED ABOUT HIM!?! OH MY GOD!

Harry felt himself starting to blush slightly, but he remained cool in his composure.

Serena playfully patted his shoulder, "So you're the cutie Meghan told us about huh? She's right you're like a Weasley but cuter. Nice to meet you Harry. I'm Serena, future Tennis Star of America."

Harry shook her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet an Olympic athlete in the making! Not every day you stumble upon one."

"Okay Meghan, he's cute. I see it."

Priyanka playfully rolled her eyes, extending her hand to Harry "The name's Priyanka. I can see why Meg loves British Accents so much."

The prince swallowed, shaking her hand, "Nice to meet you Priyanka! Cool socks by the way."

"YES! SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS MY LOVE FOR HAMILTON!"

Meghan and Serena sighed, Harry didn't need to get her started because all they'd hear is "Dear Theodosia" all over again.

Wrapping things up Meghan, grabbed Harry's hand and made their way towards the door.

"Bye Ladies!"

"Bye Meghan's boyfriend! Have fun you two!"

Meghan sucked her teeth, quickly pulling Harry out of there and locking the door.

Future boyfriend huh? Were they also onto something?

"Sorry about that. my friends can be a little-"

Harry gave her a reassuring smile, "No worries, I think they're great. If you were to ever meet my friends, yours are saints. Trust me."

Meghan raised an eyebrow, waiting for some details on exactly how wild they were.

Sadly, her ginger friend left her in the dark, I guess somethings must be witnessed in person.

  
With haste, the duo headed to the bank. Double-checking that he had all of his money and the two cards ready to transfer the money into the correct cash, he was ready. They entered the building waiting for at least ten minutes before heading to the receptionist. From there, Harry had to instruct them of the amount he wanted converted into cash. Luckily each card he was given from his friends consisted of $100 to $250 each (they really spoiled him honestly) and his cash on hand was $500 so that amounted to about $850. By wealth standards he essentially broke but it was better than nothing. It could get him a few things done for the day. He never had to work under such limited restraints before but hopefully it would work out.  How did the people of lower tax brackets even survive?

After getting his financial situation sorted out, he and Meghan decided to just spend the afternoon walking around. She offered to show him around the city, he happily agreed. Letting her take the lead they started out by stopping at one of her favorite Korean Barbeque restaurants. She was hungry and honestly, it was the first thing she thought of. Waiting to be seated in one of the booths, they chatted away about how long they've been in the city for.

"When did you first arrive here Harry?"

"About a month ago. Yourself?"

"I've been here since after a little before Labor Day."

Labor Day? Oh right, the American version that's in September not April.

"Are you a university student too?"

"No, I'm just here with my brother. He's studying abroad but I'm here to do community service."

There a quick pause as Meghan furrowed her brows.

"So the two of you live together in the campus apartments and you don't attend the school?"

Harry paused, racking his brain to find an easier way to explain how he got into this situation. He didn't want to scare Meghan off by telling her he was almost charged with battery for assaulting a student with a broom and dust pan. He thought over a little more but by the time he opened his mouth to speak, their waiter arrived. Saved by the waiter. Whew, that was a close one, for now. They were escorted to a private booth near the back of the restaurant. It wasn't what they were expecting but they couldn't complain. The seats in the booth were comfortable. They scooted closer together while waiting to figure out what to order. Perhaps the waiter assumed they're a couple? Nevertheless, at least they were going to eat good food and be comfortable. Nothing could beat that.

For now.

“To continue our conversation, I’m here because I was suspended from my private school.”

“Someone’s a rebellious teenager with angst!”

Harry chewed one of the spicy pieces of sushi, oh how he wished it were as simple as that.

“So how about you Ms. Thespian? What brings you here to the frigid city?”

“I’m here on a scholarship from Northwestern University in Chicago. I graduated high school early at 16.”

Just when Harry questioned if there was anything else impressive about her, she just continues to shine.

“That’s incredible! Congratulations on your academic successes. It’s really impressive. As for myself, I’m definitely at the bottom of the class.”

Meghan patted his shoulder, “Sometimes school isn’t always for everyone. Especially in your case it seems like you’re going through some things.”

“It doesn’t mean I can’t do better. School for me is a literal hell but if I want to go to military college I have to work harder.”

“You will, besides once you get back to school you can catch up. How long are you suspended for?”  
  
“The rest of the school year, including September and October of the new school year.”

Meghan nearly choked on her water, her eyes went wide at this new piece of information.

“What in the actual _hell_ did you do !?”

Harry rested his face inside his right palm, “I beat one of my classmates after they talked shit about my mum. I’m not _usually_ one to snap but I’d had enough of the comments and constant belittling towards her.”

“Have you tried talking to someone about these issues?”

“Yes, I’m currently speaking with my therapist.”

“Working towards change isn’t easy Harry but you seem like someone who truly wants to do better. I don’t exactly _know you_ , but I can tell you’re going through the first phase: reflection.”

The prince sat there completely stunned. For the first time someone interacted with him as a person, not the son of a monarchical figure head. Not to exclude the staff at the community kitchen but Meghan really sat with him and talked to him. It wasn’t measly conversation based around his family’s net worth, or his position as the third heartbeat from the throne. She saw him as just Harry Wales a guy from Britain. It just blew his mind because once someone knows about his family or who he is, they automatically start to treat him differently. He winds up in circles of meaningless relationships and people groomed to involve themselves with him because of who he was. Meghan only knew his name and that he’s doing community service but didn’t treat him any differently. He gave the girl a small smile, gazing at her inviting brown eyes, he felt a flutter warmth inside of him. Maybe it was stretch but even having someone he recently met in his corner was endearing.

"Thank you, Meghan. "

"No problem!"

They continued finishing up the rest of their barbeque and spring rolls before leaving to go to their next stop. Without a second thought, Meghan took his hand walking with him out the door. Harry noticed momentarily freezing causing her to turn around.

"Is everything okay?"

Harry looked down at his hand holding hers, Meghan quickly pulled her hand away.

"Oh! Sorry! It's just a habit."

He took her hand, holding it once again.

"No, don't worry about it. I like it. Just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

"Okay!"

Together, they walked hand in hand to the store two doors down.

How was he already so comfortable around her that they're holding hands? He'd never do that with Chelsy or anyone else he dated. The lads barely held hands with each other but with Meghan it just felt so natural. It's like her hands were supposed to be in his. Is he really feeling something for her? Is this how some friends are if they are to be considered that? What's going on with him?  
As they walked down the street the lyrics of Janet Jackson's Escapade played across the street.

_Come on baby, let's get away_

_Let's save our troubles for another day_

_Come go with me, we've got it made_

_Let me take you on an escapade (let's go)_

Meghan mouthed the lyrics, swaying back and forth not letting go of his hand once. He moved with her taking her hand, turning her around.

The freckled beauty smiled, continuing to jam with Harry to the music.

"You're a Janet fan too!?"

"Oh yeah! Her music is definitely on my Spotify."

"A man with taste!"

_Escapade_

_We'll have a good time_

_Escapade_

_Leave your worries behind_

_Escapade_

_Well you could be mine_

_Escapade_

_An escapade_

They continued dancing for a few minutes more, letting the music pump up their mood.

Entering the cellphone shop hand in hand, Harry walked over to the teller ready to get minutes onto his iPhone. After a few minutes of waiting, his phone was officially activated under a Canadian service provider. Success, now he could contact his lads without depending on his laptop. While he liked the convenience of having the WhatsApp desktop application, there were certain features unavailable. He liked using his homemade stickers versus the stock ones the app provided on the computer. The store teller informed him of his payment plan and how the billing would work. He couldn’t believe it, he was taking another step towards independence. Tomorrow, he’d start looking a for a job to help with the bills and to help William out. It’s the least he could do because while everything else was covered by their father, he wanted to prove to him he’s capable of doing things too.

Leaving the store, the adorable pair continued holding hands. They proceeded to window shop through the city’s plaza. Meghan pulled him into a clothing shop, immersing herself into all the yellow-gold jewelry. Harry on the other hand, browsed over the shirts and pants. What started out as merely just looking around into Meghan trying on different pairs of clothing. Harry found himself sitting in a chair watching her model all her different outfit combinations before settling on a beautiful black dress with thread-bare yellow-gold rings as the accent on the cuffs of the sleeves. She did a little twirl waiting for his opinion on her choice of clothing.  
  
“It’s beautiful. Fits you well.”  
  
Meghan gave him a gummy smile, her cheeks glowing, “Well thanks! I like it too!”  
  
After paying for her dress, the two went to look around some more. Unfortunately, they couldn’t really find anything. But they did converse some more, and Harry learned about Meghan being from California and like him, attended a same-sex private school. They lived in different worlds, but they discovered bits of what they had in common. Taking a seat at a café to indulge in a bowl of ice cream, they continued delving into their unique tastes.

“Favorite genre of music?”  
  
Meghan took a spoonful of their sea salt caramel ice cream, “90s R&B, you can never go wrong with some Tevin Campbell or Jodeci. How about you?”

“I’m into Indie music but I do appreciate various styles of music.”

“I feel you on that. Having a variety of music makes your playlists less stale.”

“Apple Music or Spotify?”

“Spotify!”

Harry high fived her giving her a cheesy grin, “THANK YOU! Who the fuck uses Tidal unless they want a Jay or Bey album!?”

“RIGHT!?”

They kept chatting away through the evening. Checking the time, Meghan noticed how late it was getting. It was almost time for the shops to close at 9:00pm, and it was 8:45. Maybe if they were lucky, they could sneak in a late showing of the moving. It wasn’t a date, but she didn’t want the day to end so soon. She really enjoyed spending time with Harry. When they were together, they clicked so well. Deciding to just ask him anyway, she took the lead.

“Want to go to a movie?”

Harry shrugged his shoulders; his project wouldn’t be due until Saturday and he didn’t have anything else to do besides work at the kitchen tomorrow.

“Sure!”  
  
Buying their tickets online, they entered the theatre to watch Disney’s Moana. They were just in time because they were going to see the last showing of the night. Making their way to the middle of the last row of the theatre, they sat happily waiting for the movie to the start. Once the previews were finished, the theatre darkened but instead of watching the movie, the two friends wound up looking at each other. Stealing quick glances at one another, they’d watch each other’s reactions to certain scenes. From Meghan’s perspective she noticed Harry had a habit of quietly humming along to the lyrics even if he didn’t know them. Harry could tell if Meghan was really into a scene because she’d widen or slightly scrunch her eyes. It was quite a sight to see.

Subsequently once the movie ended, their fun day together had to come to an end. Walking hand-in-hand once more the time together was spent in a mutual silence. They really enjoyed each other’s company today. Hopefully this would become more than a one-time occurrence. There weren’t any doubts about it, but it needed to be said at least. As they approached Meghan’s apartment, Harry felt himself feeling a little sad. Of course, they’d see each other tomorrow but their interactions before couldn’t top today’s fun. They continued holding hands, getting ready to say goodbye.  
  
“Wait!”  
  
Harry turned around to face Meghan before he could even walk away.  
  
“What’s your number?”

The two exchanged numbers, and out of nowhere, Meghan pressed his lips against his cheek.

“Thanks for today, I truly enjoyed it. We should do this more often.”

Harry blushed, returning a kiss to her cheek.

“We should. Have a goodnight Meghan! Goodbye!”

“It’s not _goodbye_ Harry, in California we say, _‘See You Later’_.”

“ _See you later_ Meghan!”

“See you later Harry!”

Meghan opened the door with a bashful smile on her face. Something was happening inside of her. She felt her cheeks feeling warm and her heart skipped a beat. How did she manage to develop a bit of a crush on the cute guy she knew from the community kitchen? She didn’t know but all she knew was that he’s good company to have. What was that Jesse McCartney song again that accurately fit what they were for each other? That’s right they were each other’s _Beautiful Soul_.

This is only the beginning, but something would soon bubble to the surface as they connected.

 _I don't want another pretty face_  
_I don't want just anyone to hold_  
_I don't want my love to go to waste_  
_I want you and your beautiful soul_

 _You're the one I want to chase_  
_You're the one I want to hold_  
_I won't let another minute go to waste_  
_I want you and your beautiful soul_  
_Your beautiful soul, yeah_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Escapade is a song by Janet Jackson
> 
> Beautiful Soul is a song by Jesse McCartney
> 
> Gun Gun Gunaree is song performed by Priyanka Chopra in the Bollywood film Agneepath


	10. Chapter 8 - Happy Friendsgiving Part One

As promised Harry was once again in the office of his therapist on a chilling Wednesday afternoon. He sat in the chair covering his frozen legs with a blanket. The only thing on his mind were the remnants of his and Meghan’s outing. He couldn’t keep his smile to himself for even a second. Just the mere thought of how much fun they had excited him for the next time they’d do it again. He waited quietly for Dr. Sirmons to return from his sudden phone call. Thirty minutes passed and so far, he just remained somewhat fidgety. He wanted to pull out his phone and WhatsApp one of his friends, but he didn’t want to give off any impression of disinterest. Sighing, he scrolled through his camera roll reminiscing of the wild nights he had months ago before ending up here. Funny enough, he realized he hadn’t had the time to delete any photos himself and Chelsy. He went to work deleting them all, especially ensuring that none of them remained within his Google Photos account either.

Ten minutes later, Dr. Sirmons entered the room. He apologized for his brief absence, returning to his seat. Harry fiddled with his thumbs while he continued waiting for the counselor to complete whatever else he had to do. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have any other assignments to do. He just wanted to get this over with, so he could go home, take a nap, and finish his lab report due tomorrow at 11am. Being an online student overseas sucked when it came to deadlines. It didn’t help that his teachers weren’t as flexible as they were supposed to be with grace periods either.

“It’s been a few days since we last talked. How have you been Harry?”

Harry took a sip of his water before answering, “Pretty good in all honesty.”

Dr. Sirmons nodded, impressed to hear that his client continued to improve.

“Has anything in particular happened with you?”

“I’ve mostly been busy with my work and keeping out of trouble.”

“How wonderful to hear. How would you rate your progress between a scale of one to ten?”

The prince paused trying think of a reasonable number. In his own opinion he felt it would be at least a seven but if he had to be honest, maybe a six.  
“I’d say six to be safe.”

“Slightly above average?”

“Yes.”

“As far as work, what have you managed to accomplish between last week versus now?”

In his personal life, getting closer to Meghan. However, if one were to take a glance at his progress being suspended from school, he’s managed to improve his grades slightly. No longer was he a D-student, he worked at his own pace to maintain a C average. It didn’t compare to William’s A-B honor roll stats, but it showed his strides towards improvement versus how he was last year or a month ago. He started being more focused on what he had to do instead oftrying to fool around all the time. School definitely didn’t fit him but he had to buckle down to get serious, so he can be accepted into Sandhurst Military College.

“Between this week and last, I’ve finished a number of projects. At the kitchen, the ladies and I are working on a Harvest dinner for the residents that come in. With my school work, my GPA has improved. I’ve become more focused and I feel a sense of purpose.”

Dr. Sirmons gave him a proud nod, “All of these improvements recently. Harry you’re going down a good path. Sometimes it will still be difficult but with your ethic, you’ll be back on track in no time.”

Harry smiled, sometimes he still felt the daunting reality of his fishbowl life back home. There were times at night he’d wake up in cold sweats feeling his responsibilities for the crown taunting him. His worst fear was to amount to nothing. The Harry of September and early October would have scoffed at any mention of his duties. He recognized he had been born into the job but never took it as seriously. Now, all he could think about is facing everyone during Christmas at Sandringham. He’d been gone for almost two months without even contacting his grandmother. William kept in contact with everyone, but Harry just kept to himself. He felt having some mystery in his life was the best option.

Stopping his thoughts, he continued smiling at the counselor “Thank you Dr. Sirmons.”

“It’s no problem. As of Friday, we will be meeting like normal. Make sure you bring in a flow chart of your future goals and list of tasks we discussed two weeks ago.”

“I haven’t forgotten, and I’ll bring it in as promised.”

“Alright. Have a good evening Harry.”

“You too, doc.”

Sticking to the schedule, Harry went home right on time. During the car ride all he could think about was the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday Meghan and her friends were stressing about. She had said something about wanting to celebrate a friendship version of it. What’s it called again? Right, _Friendsgiving_ is the term. Having never celebrated a Friendsgiving before, Harry beamed at the thought of what it would entail. Luckily, for this would be his second Thanksgiving celebration of the year. He was happy that he got to celebrate with her before she went home to California. As for himself and William they would be shipped off to Sandringham next month. The prince continued dreading it, even thought it remained a Mountbatten-Windsor tradition. He wasn’t sure of how he’d face his father, or even his dreaded Uncle Andrew. Regarding his cousins, he had no worries at all. Zara, Bea, Eugenie and Peter were a piece of cake. Retracting his previous thought, Bea, Eugenie and Peter were fine, Zara was quite the challenge. As much as he loved her, no one could match her or Grandpa Philip’s shade.

Getting himself to focus on his main thoughts, he wondered what he could do to contribute to the Friendsgiving affair at Meghan’s place. Perhaps, he could bring a turkey or maybe a dessert? His biggest concern was figuring out when to ask her out. He’s hyper aware of his feelings for her but doesn’t want to _rush_ into anything. Maybe he needed to give their friendship some more time. His biggest fear was going into a relationship with her based on his impulsive nature but ruining it. What if she didn’t like him the way he did with her? All those thoughts were running through his mind a mile a minute. _Get a grip Harry, just take this one step at a time._ Rome wasn’t built within a day. Hopefully he wasn’t too obvious about his feelings either. Goodness, he needed to figure himself out first before he did anything.

William momentarily stopped at a red light, while traffic continued to move at a snail’s pace. He looked over at his brother noticing the thought-provoking expression on his face. Deciding to break the silence, he opted to ask what’s on his mind.

“Penny for your thoughts Harry?”

Harry blinked, exhaling slowly he brushed his hair over to the opposite side of face.

“Nothing, just thinking.”

The blonde prince raised an eyebrow, he recognized that facial expression of Harry’s anywhere.

“About?”

“Just these next few weeks.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really, it’s been a long day. I want to drown my thoughts in some Brandy Hot Chocolate.”

“You’re having it quite rough huh?”

“Yes. Sandringham is creeping in.”

William paused, remembering his father specifically stated while he originally opted to have them miss Christmas, it was tradition they attend. No way would Charles let his sons have such a deafening absence during their most important of the family gatherings. For himself, it wasn’t an issue at all. Harry, on the other hand as he understood it would have preferred to stay in Toronto. To put it kindly, he and Charles haven’t spoken since that short phone call a few days ago. It wasn’t the elder Prince of Wales’ fault because he is busy man but Harry wasn’t accepting it.

Ruffling his brother’s hair, he opted to make light of the situation.

“How many drinks do you need?”

“Anything to knock me out.”

“Say no more.”

Pulling into the parking deck, they quickly made their way to the floor of their apartment. The silence filled walk could have enhanced the sound of a pin dropping. The brothers walked towards the door of their home, and Harry noticed there was an envelope addressed to him in cursive. He knew immediately Meghan was the only person to do something like this. Taking the note off the door before entering the living room, he quickly made haste to open it. Inside there was a card addressed to him saying:

_Season’s Greetings Harry,_

_If you have received this note attached to your door, congratulations! You are cordially invited to a Friendsgiving brunch on Friday November 18 th at 12:00 o’clock pm. The soiree’s location will be apartment number 42 on the fourth floor of this complex. As such, it would be greatly appreciated that you contribute a dish to our potluck. Please RVSP as soon as possible! _

_Happy Holidays,_

_Meghan X_

Harry smiled to himself cherishing the sweet gesture from his friend. The thanksgiving celebrations that he participated in with his family were never as informal as this. It was always some sort of a dress-casual, or black-tie private dinner. The chefs would cook a roasted turkey hunted off the grounds of Balmoral, and he’d enjoy the tastes of the finest things dining had to offer. However, this Friendsgiving perked his interests. What kind of food could he bring? Did it matter if it were a dessert, appetizer or entrée? All the ideas were slowly forming in his mind. Pausing, he opted to simply RSVP first.  
_Remember Harry, take things one step at a time._

Pulling out his phone, he quickly sent Meghan a text thanking her for the invitation.

_Hey Meg! Just got your invite. Thanks so much, I’ll be there! Mind if I bring a plus one?_

A few seconds from his text being sent the little bubble with dots inside of it quickly appeared.

 _Hey! Glad you got my invite Harry! Of course, you can bring a plus one. The more the merrier_ _😊_ _!_

To say that his heart skipped a beat would be an understatement. His heart skipped several beats while he read the message. Why did he always have to feel so giddy whenever she texted him? It was just a simple text. Pull it together Harry, she’s your friend your _platonic friend_ not a lover. He needed to ensure he maintained his cool because William’s already on his case. Any sense of slipping up and he wouldn’t hear the end of it. Especially not with the holidays coming up. Knowing how nosy his cousins were indirectly, particularly due to his absence these past few months, oh god.

Putting his coat away, he went over to his laptop. He immediately opened the blackboard program to check on his recently emailed progress report. If there’s one thing he especially enjoyed about doing his schooling online versus in person is that he didn’t have to see the class rankings anymore. Opening the attached PDF document, the grades and his class average were listed:

_Henry Wales – Term 1 Session B_

_Maths – C_

_Sciences – C_

_History – A_

_Art History – B_

_Literature – B_

_Community Services – A_

_Phys Ed – C_

_Military Leadership - A_

_Cumulative GPA for the term: 2.86_

He got a 2.86 for the fall term for session B. Not bad for a suspended online student. It wasn’t 3.0 or higher GPA but this proved to himself that if the truly applied himself, he could achieve great things. This was only the beginning. Progress was being made and he couldn’t help but be proud of his accomplishment.

On cue, William walked in to glance at his younger brother’s grades, handing him his hot chocolate brandy.  
  
“Congrats Bro! Cheers to that!”  
  
“Cheers!”

  
Their mugs clinked together and they drank the spiced chocolatey cinnamon concoction with glee. Fuck, this one was strong. William wasn’t playing when Harry requested a drink strong enough to knock him out. Jesus Christ, he felt like he’d fall asleep. Deciding to take slower sips, Harry paced himself. This wasn’t like the other batches William’s made before where he could be a functioning drunk.

“Shit William! What did you put in here?”

“Milk flavored brandy and a pinch of cinnamon vodka.”

_Oh hell, that’s probably why. FUCK!_

Putting his mug down, he laid on the sofa trying to let the buzz go down. Whew, if he took anymore of that he’d be out like a light. Harry wasn’t one of those lightweights, but his brother should be banned from playing bartender.

“Bro, we’re invited to Meghan’s Friendsgiving”

“Seriously? That’s great!”

“Yeah I need to figure out what food to bring.”

“Potato Salad? Kate can make some and you can bring it.”

Harry made a disgusted face, shaking his head.

“Look I know you want to be **Mrs. Kate Middleton** and all but NO. She puts raisins in hers.”

“What’s wrong with raisins?”

“Have you **_EVER_** talked to people of color !?”

“Um, yeah my classmates!?”

“No seriously William. You know what just bring water. That’s the safest option.”

“La Croix it is!”

“Bring that nasty ass water and see how fast I’ll beat your ass. Meghan doesn’t _deserve_ that kind of slander at her soiree!”

William raised an eyebrow, “Oh so her name is **_MEGHAN_** hm? I can’t wait to meet her! Is she cute?”

Harry blushed slightly before answering, “I mean obviously I wouldn’t be talking to her if she wasn’t.”

The blonde prince pointed his praying hands at the ginger, “Says the man who dated _Chelsy_ !?”

The younger prince paused, “You know what, we’re **NOT** getting into that.”

“You walked into it bitch.”

“Shut up! We need to go to the store and get supplies!”

“When’s the event?”

“Friday the 18th”

William opened his phone, checking his calendar.

“Damn, that's the day after tomorrow. Okay, let's go ahead and get everything set up.”

Together, the brothers hopped into William’s Range Rover and quickly went to Costco to buy their contributions for tomorrow’s brunch.

Sometimes, what happens only in a matter of a few days can easily fly by when you’re having fun.

_To be continued …_

 

 


	11. Chapter 9 - Happy Friendsgiving Part Two

Arriving at the local Costco, the brothers were on a mission. They needed to find some good food to contribute as their offering to the Friendsgiving brunch. Also, it was time to restock on groceries, the fridge was emptier than Charles’ sperm count. Entering the store, William showed the store greeter his membership card. The duo made their way down the aisles with Harry pushing the cart this time. Stopping by the toiletries they ensured they stocked up on paper towels, toilet tissue, scrubbing bubbles, bleach, gloves and new toilet brushes. Afterwards, they split up going to different parts of the store to get what they wanted individually.

Harry started by going to the card section of the store. He wanted to secure a good holiday card for Meghan before he had to leave to go to Sandringham. Looking through the different styles of cards, it took him a moment to find the perfect one. Continuing to scan the aisles he finally found that expressed his feelings under the “Cards for Her.” Reading the text, it beautifully summarized all he felt on the inside. Picking up the card he continued to read the inside, “Someone as joyful as you should have their holidays just the same. Merry Christmas!” Smiling, he knew he picked the right one.

Making his way down to the gift bags section of the store, he chose a bag in the color of yellow with the sun plastered on it. It didn’t fit the Christmas theme at all, but Harry recalled seeing Meghan admiring yellow-gold pieces at the store when they went shopping. Plus, his personal nickname for her on his phone was Sunny, since she always bubbled with energy around him. He also collected some gold stuffing paper with matching streamers. As for the gift he wanted to give her, that would be something custom made. He’d have to make the arrangements when he’s in England, but he had connections to some of the best jewelers in the country through his mother. While he would have opted to give his potential-girlfriend, but platonic friend one of his mother’s saved pieces, he figured it’d be sensible to avoid that. He surely dodged a bullet with Chelsy on that one. Discretely hiding his finds in the cart he continued his mission to find some more items for the house.

William sighed looking around the food section of the department store. What would be something good to bring that’s safe enough for everyone to enjoy? While he wanted to bring vodka, he knew Harry would fuck that up pretty quickly. Maybe he could just make his famous 'Cinnamon Brandy Hot Chocolate' - he shook his head going against that. With the way Harry damn near fell over yesterday nah. Walking over to the La Croix water, he picked up two packs. He also slid in three bottles of liquor: Cognac, Gin, and Hennessy. The Gin was his, the Hennessey was for Harry and the Cognac was for Kate. He wondered what Harry's little friend's favorite drink was. He'd find out once he got to the brunch. Everyone has a favorite type of drink whether it be by flavor, or brand of drink. Oh well no need to overthink it. He spotted his brother over by the desserts section looking at all the cakes and cookies. Harry saw him and walked over to where he was placing two packets of the iced sugar cookies into the cart.

"Harry that's PURE SUGAR WTF !?!?"

"Look William, they have Santa on them and it fits the theme. Leave me be!"

Together, they scavenged the rest of the food section, picking out vegetables, fruits, and sweet treats for themselves. They also picked up some packets of meat as well. However, one thing was missing - seasoning. Going down the seasonings aisle, William reached out to grab the salt and pepper. Harry immediately swatted his hand away.

"WE GET ALL OF THE FINEST SEASONINGS AND YOUR BASIC BITCH ASS WANTS SALT AND PEPPER!?!?! HELL NO!"

"Harry it's SEASONING!"

"THAT'S THE SPLENDA AND GLUTEN FREE BASIC SHIT ! DO BETTER BITCH!"

Harry started grabbing different spices such as turmeric, basil, garlic, paprika, ground red pepper flakes, and parsley.

"SEE THIS WILLIAM? THIS IS SEASONING"

William rolled his eyes, "GOT IT."

Continuing to roll his cart down the store, they stopped by the pharmacy section. William picked up a pack of Magnums and some lubricant. Tis the season to some fun with 'Babykins'. Harry noticed what his brother picked up and discreetly dropped a 50 pack of earplugs.

_'Oh Hell No. I'm not listening to the audio slip and slide!!!!'_

The blonde turned his head over to Harry who had his mouth agape. The ginger quickly closed his mouth, but his big blues told it all. Don't you sweat it Harry, you'll get your revenge when the time comes. You'll be relishing in that sweet karma. Patience is a virtue, persevere Little Spencer. You're a strong man who supports his brother's sexual ventures, even at the expense of your sanity and sleep at 4:30 am.

Harry gave his brother a **disgusted** look, sucking his teeth.

"Just **_nasty_**."

"Better Kate than Jecca."

"That's not what the _orgy_ you had with them said."

William inhaled deeply, sometimes he just wanted to drop kick Harry or throw him across the room, but he knew if he did that Charles would kill him.

"Funny how you always think you know about my business."

"Keep playing these games Willy Nilly."

Laughing it off, the duo scanned over their list once more, ensuring they had everything. Together, they went to cash register and started getting their stuff checked out. The cashier couldn't help but look at William. She'd never seen someone this handsome in their parts before. Come to think of it he looked a lot like that - Harry butted in noticing they were going to recognize who his brother was.

In a _very crappy_ American accent Harry said, "I know what you're thinking but sis this isn't Prince William. This is my brother Bobby. Get yourself a Prince William not a Bobby."

NOT A BOBBY, wow Harry good job! It's not like you won't attract attention to your brother.

The cashier shot Harry a look, and William bit the inside of his lip.

His brother was a _special breed_ of extra.

Not wasting anytime to leave the store, William made a brisk exit to the car. Their ride home was just his luck. As soon as he turned the radio on that dreaded Kesha song he hated so much came on.

_Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy (Hey, what up girl?)_

_Grab my glasses, I'm out the door; I'm gonna hit this city (Let's go)_

_Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack_

_'Cause when I leave for the night, I ain't coming back -_

William abruptly turned the radio off before the bridge of the song could even come in.

"AWW COME ON! KE$HA'S A POP ICON!"

"HARRY NO. GOD NO!"

"What kind of music do you have in mind then?"

"ANYTHING BUT THAT"

Harry quickly turned the radio back on flipping through stations until Zion's song featuring Akon _'The Way She Moves’_ came on. In unison the brothers sang the lyrics without any qualms about it.

_I love the way she moves, I see the way she's coming_

_I wanna rock her body, I know she's waiting for me_

_I love the way she moves, I see the way she's coming_

_I wanna rock her body, I know she's waiting for me_

Harry took the first verse with ease, really getting into the lyrics.

_She's like Shakira belly dancing on the Grammy Awards_

_Like Beyonce clapping hard for them the MTV show_

_She's so amazing, she drives me crazy_

_Baila, baila, mamita que te quiero ver_

_Rompiendo la pista abusadora_

_Eres bien tentadora, de todas la mas seductora_

William continued lip synching to the lyrics since he tended to struggle with the spanish lyrics. Harry didn't care, he just loved the song. In his mind all the could think of all the times this song came on back home and he'd let loose so easily. Dang. it's really been a while since they last threw true party. Maybe during the holidays they could do something with the lads. It wouldn't be the same without Meghan, but he missed some parts of his old life. The parties, the endless liquor at his disposal and the fun memories. It needed to come back.

_I love the way she moves, I see the way she's coming_

_I wanna rock her body, I know she's waiting for me_

_I love the way she moves, I see the way she's coming_

_I wanna rock her body, I know she's waiting for me_

The car pulled into the University parking garage. The brothers collected their items and headed up the stairs to their apartment. Once everything was dropped off into the kitchen, William quickly informed Harry he was heading to Kate's apartment for the night. Nodding his head Harry internally praised god. He could have some peace and quiet, streak around the apartment WITHOUT any interruptions. The last time he tried to go au naturale, Kate walked in on him in the kitchen and let's just say she hasn't necessarily been the same since. She's still nice but man does she make wide eyed expressions towards him. He felt a little bad but hey when you're forced to hear her wax William's dick with that sex cave of hers -

Harry be nice she's the serious girlfriend of William’s. Don't be an asshole like Uncle Andrew.

Turning on some music, he decided to listen to that playlist Meghan sent him with all the 90s and 00s r&b she loved so much. She told him that if he pays attention occasionally, she spells things out in her playlists. Since this was for him, he was anticipating what her message was. Well, he'd find out soon enough. He connected the Bluetooth between his laptop and his speaker. Looking at the playlist it was called 'Hi'.

Meghan was so cheesy sometimes, but she had a way of expressing things well.

Perhaps she had something to say to him, perhaps important.

After listening to it for 30 minutes he could tell from how she spelled it out she said:

“We click really well, and I like being with you.”

The ever-so familiar heart skipping feeling made Harry feel that fluttering feeling again.

Breathe Harry, inhale exhale, accept it at surface value. Just take it with a grain of salt. The last time you ran on complete impulses you landed HERE.

The ginger pulled himself together, switching his music to Switchfoot.

_GET A GRIP HENRY CHARLES ALBERT DAVID!_

He rolled over onto his cushion pillow, scrolling through his phone. He opened WhatsApp, unmuting his groupchat with the lads. Hundreds of messages flooded his notifications. Some of them read 'Where's Spike?' Others exclaimed 'Shit he's probably dead off the grid somewhere!'

Deciding to answer his friends he quickly typed 'I'M ALIVE ASSHOLES!' Seconds passed and the groupchat slowly regained consciousness. What started out as a simple chat, turned into a Google Hangouts conversations. Damn, that was quick!

Guy Pelly stared into the screen, his mouth agape at the sight of Harry, "WELL, WELL IF IT ISN'T ROBINSON CRUSOE HIMSELF!"

Harry raised an eyebrow, "WHO?"

Charlie was heard in the background slapping Guy in the back of the head, "NOW YOU KNOW HARRY ISN'T THAT SMART!"

Harry let out a chuckle, he truly missed his lads. It's never a dull moment with them around.

Together, with the addition of his Polo buddies, they had quite the conversation. It lasted a good two hours. Somewhere in the midst of their chat, Charlie fell asleep and Guy had to leave so on their camera everyone else could see the ceiling. Arthur was concerned that they probably ran off somewhere. James didn't care too much, his attention focused solely on catching up with Harry. Once the conversation ended, Harry stared at the ceiling and his mind replayed Meghan's hidden message within her playlist.

_She liked him, she enjoyed spending time with him._

Was she sure she liked HIM? Because the typical wild, impulsive, sex-driven, egotistical, somewhat narcissistic Harry of a good few years is currently found shivering in a ditch. There's no way this could be happening. He knew his feelings of course and understood his adoration for her. From the way she'd light up when laughing or how she immediately to anyone she talked to. Not to mention her cute freckles or the twinkle in her eyes. Goodness, she was fluent in Spanish and had a knack for solving anything you threw at her. My god she'd fix a Rubix cube in seconds! It's like she wasn't even real. They didn't even know each other for that long but gosh, when he was around her she just brought out these strong feelings for her. Nobody did that to him; not Chelsy, Cressida, or any other girl he'd had a fling with. Shit the girl he fucked outside the club at 15 didn't even do anything for him either. Damn, he's **whipped** , and he didn't even ask her out. Did William ever feel - hold on, okay he'll give his brother credit he didn't beat around the bush with his feelings. Can't compare apples to oranges anyway.

Harry was not infatuated but in pure awe of Meghan. She completely rotated his orbit.

Man, Friday was going to be a bitch. He had to find a way to keep his cool because these feelings weren't something to be impulsive about.

Yet, those little impulses of his might work to his advantage.  
  


_Friday, November 17th, 2016._

"WILLIAM WHEN WE GET TO MEGHAN'S APARTMENT DO NOT EMBARRASS ME!"

"Harry you're talking to ME? Prince William of Wales, son of Prince Charles."

"FUCK PRINCE WILLIAM OF WALES! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? You're just WILLIAM, FUCKING BILL! OKAY?"

"Damn dude chill out! What's with you today? We're just going to brunch!"

William wasn't feeling Harry's anxiety driven vibes at all. He's NEVER this much of a mess and he's the wildest member of the family SINCE Great Aunt Margaret and Uncle Andrew.

"Harry are you okay? You sure you still want to go!"

"I'M ALIVE AREN'T I!? SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LET'S GO!"

This was going to be the wildest afternoon yet and Harry hadn't done a pre-game at all.

The walk and elevator ride to Meghan's house is best described as incredibly awkward. Normally seeing Harry nervous brought glee to William but today his little brother was on another level. Forget Piglet from the Winnie the Pooh with his iconic 'OH D-D-DEAR!' Nah, Harry was looking like 50 shades of ghostly pale. The elder prince periodically looked over at his ginger sibling, checking for signs of life. He's NEVER this quiet unless they were at the Trooping events or a funeral. What the hell **_happened_** to him between last night and now? Shit, he looked a complete mess.

"You sure you're good- "

"MY PALMS ARE SWEATY ARMS SPAGHETTI OKAY !?"

William covered his mouth, shaking his head at his brother.

Either Harry was THIS close to pissing his pants or he was borderline sick.

This had to be the longest three-minute elevator ride of his life because when they reached their destination, Harry stared into space. William proceeded to physically drag his brother down the hall to find apartment number 42. Taking a turn to the left, he immediately saw it and of course Harry leaned against the wall, pretending he couldn't move.

"HARRY GET OVER HERE BEFORE I CARRY YOU BRIDAL STYLE!"

"GO ON AHEAD! I'M FINE!"

"YOU'RE GLUED AGAINST THE WALL! UNSTICK YOURSELF NOW! YOU'RE NOT A GODDAMNED AIR WICK!"

Harry felt his knees slightly buckle, gulping he had to come to terms of facing his nerves.

Come on Harry, why are you like this today? All of these other days you could have been a mess but TODAY !?

William turned on his heels marching towards him.

"OKAY OKAY! I'M COMING ! DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH ME!"

Henry Charles Albert David couldn't be a bundle of nerves BECAUSE of Meghan could he? It was time for William to find out. There's no way in hell this person who walked out of their home was the same Harry that left England. This kind of nervous was totally out of character. Who the FUCK was this guy and where was the usually cocky, obnoxious, and overly boisterous Harry all of England knew and either loved or wanted sniped down? Jesus Christ, he wasn't expecting all of this. Pressing his hand against Harry's forehead then his neck, his temperature seemed normal. NEVER had he acted like this about Chelsey before or any of his exes. Maybe he was going 'Halfcrazy' like that Musiq Soulchild song.

_And my mind's gone half crazy cuz I can't leave you alone_

_(Oh can't get you out of my system)_

_And I wonder if, if it's worth me holding on (holding on)_

_Said my mind's gone half crazy cuz I can't leave you alone_

_(can't get you out of my system)_

_And I wonder if, if it's worth me holding on_

Yup those were the lyrics! Thank you, Meghan’s apartment for the musical accompaniment, - WAIT they needed to get inside of the apartment! Looking around he noticed his brother's taking a deep breath trying to use one of his shaky hands to open the door. Getting real sick of his brother's outer body shit, William opted to knock on the door. After knocking three times, there she was. The culprit of Harry's nerves and flusters for the past few weeks, Ms. Meghan Markle.

"Hi I'm Meghan! You must be-"

Cutting to chase William introduced himself, "I'm Harry's older brother William. his plus one for this afternoon."

Meghan peeked out of the door frame noticing Harry staring blindly at the window in front of him, "Is Harry okay?"

"I've been asking myself that since we got here but maybe if he sees you, he'll snap out of it."

The Californian sunshine walked over to Harry waving her freshly manicured hand in front of his face.

"Hey Harry! Are you alright?"

Harry blinked twice, immediately smling at Meghan, "Yeah I'm fine, I just a little cranky that's all."

CRANKY!? Henry, PLEASE you were literally a walking mess just a few minutes ago.

William bit the inside of his lip, noting that Harry's sweaty hands were linked with Meghan's.

That poor girl, how she managed to keep up with Harry he would never know.

But he noticed the sweetness in personality. Harry for god's sake if you do decide to date her, don't screw this up.

Entering the apartment, the music blasted thumped into their ears. Some more of Meghan's showed up. There's a girl with long brown hair and lips that definitely were injected with botox. A group of five thespians dressed in shirts that said "Glasses" like the TV Show. Maybe they were fans? Some guests looked like classmates of Meghan’s as well.  Serena and Priyanka were present too.  All together some were dancing to the music, while drinking and others huddled around the living room carpet in the midst of a game of Monopoly.

William piped up taking notice of the Monopoly game laid out, "Wow, you guys play Monopoly and not kill each other !?"

Harry stood there stunned, how did NO ONE in this room want to take someone out over it.

Meghan cocked her head to the side, “Yeah! It’s just Monopoly. Why?”

The brothers looked at each other having eerie flashbacks of the few times the firm tried to allow everyone to play. Unfortunately, some well to be honest ALL of the games turned into violent engagements. One time the game became so intense that Uncle Andrew wanted to choke Great Aunt Margaret’s son. Afterwards, the Queen officially banished the game from the palace walls. Typical Uncle Andrew, always ensuring their family was unable to have nice things. William would never forget the screams of bloody murder from Lady Sarah as Andrew tried to put her brother into a chokehold. She rarely came to visit anymore afterwards. The last time the family saw her was at Great Granny’s funeral.

Noting the sudden tension between the two, Meghan pulled Harry over to the kitchen, so he could help with setting the table.  Together, the two worked efficiently to lay everything out. Harry being someone that was properly taught by his mother to set one during family vacations excelled at this with ease. First were the plates, and Meghan carefully set them onto the table. Next came the intricately folded napkins along with the glasses. Finally, she placed the silverware on each side of the plate in order of size. Harry quickly followed her methods, assisting in ensuring its completion in a timely manner. Every so often, his eyes would meet hers and they’d share endearing smiles. Priyanka stepped into the room to get a cup of water, immediately sensing the atmosphere of flirtation she cut the air with her words.

“Are you sure you’re setting up the table? It looks like you’re getting ready for something else.”

The ginger and brunette turned towards Priyanka making confused faces.

“Don’t look at me like that you two. I know exactly what’s going on. I’m onto you.”

Meghan patted Priyanka’s head, “Don’t delude yourself into anything.”

Harry almost felt like his heart was about to burst, but his friend turned towards him.

She walked over to his side of the table quietly whispering, “We’ll talk later.”

His face turned a slight shade of crimson, _alright then Meghan_!

Could later hurry up _please_? The suspense ate away at our protagonist while he continued his earlier ministrations.

Priyanka made a brisk exit, wagging her finger at Meghan, “Don’t pretend like he isn’t your boyfriend.”

Meghan huffed, rolling her eyes at her _wonderful_ friend. Sometimes she couldn’t distinguish who’s more of a pain when it came to the Harry related jokes, her or Serena.

The time for the food to be served arrived immediately. With a quick call for everyone to gather, the buffet was set to feed all the guests presents. Holding hands, Meghan waited for someone take their turn for the prayer. After being met with a deafening silence, she volunteered herself to bless the Friendsgiving food.

_To the universe, and others above,_

_We are gathered together to bless this_

_Inaugural Friendsgiving._

_We’re thankful that today we could assemble to_

_Enjoy the fruits of celebration for companionship and our personal blessings._

_This year opened the doors for us to meet and be here today._

_May this food nourish our bodies and brings us closer together through our unique blend of cultures._

_Forever in debt to your wondrous ways,_

_Amen_

The food greatly nourished the guests’ spirits and bodies. A feeling of sentiment graced the apartment. Everyone slowly began leaving, taking their dishes with them. Using the moment to get closer to the talk Harry’s been anticipating, he offered to stay and help clean up. William went on his way to meet with Kate at her apartment. However, before going he did leave Meghan his " _Cinnamon Brandy Hot Chocolate Recipe_." Who knew it'd be quite the hit? Serena and Priyanka exited the apartment, so they could meet up with their boyfriends for their planned double date. Thus, leaving the dwindling crowd of people in apartment 42 down to two people.

The elephant in the room left quite the daunting task. Harry could feel it; how does someone tell you that they’ll talk to you later but not even speak? Did he do something wrong? Okay Henry don’t go jumping to conclusions before anything has even happened. Meghan once again felt his nervousness and paused amid cleaning. She’s going to figure out what’s got her friend all in a jumbled mess today. She’d never seen him this way before and honestly it concerned her. During the brunch he looked as if he’d throw up or drown his worries in his brother’s unique concoction. Walking over to him, she placed his hand onto his forehead.  
  
  
“Okay, come and sit-down Harry. We need to talk.”

Finally, they were finally going to speak to each other. Alright, here we go –

“Harry, what’s going on with you today? Are you sick?”

She continued checking his temperature, again he seemed totally normal.

The prince gulped, dammit why did she have to ask about _him_?

“I don’t even know. I’ve just been a going in and out of it.”

“Did something happen to you?”

Harry noticed her face leaning towards his with worry etched on her face.  
  
“No, I just – I …”

It was as if something told them to close the tension filled gap between them but Meghan took the lead. Closing her eyes, she softly kissed his lips. Harry didn’t even resist what’s happening. He moved his lips in conjunction with hers pulling her closer to him. Her hands founds themselves through his hair. His were placed strategically onto her hips. Something about this just felt right. Harry moved his lips from Meghan’s kissing her jawline, pecking the sides of her neck. She lowered her head against his.  
  
  
“You have no idea how badly I wanted to kiss you, Harry.”

  
Harry looked up at her letting himself drown into her inviting brown eyes. He pressed a soft kiss onto her cupid’s bow, then her nose and back to her lips again. They continued this way for twenty minutes or more? Was it ten, or maybe thirty? It didn’t matter that electrifying felt so good. Damn, it was about time. Moaning into the kiss, Meghan lapped her tongue against his lips, he spread his lips slightly, lapping his amongst hers. Their kisses got sloppier, and even more sensual. Pulling away, Harry heard himself moan happily. Where the hell did this even come from?

He wriggled his eyebrows, “So, how was I?”

Meghan pressed a kiss onto his forehead, “Better than I imagined.”

Two kissed once more savoring the taste of each other.

The brunette quickly straightened herself out and broke the brief silence between them.

“We should – you know get back to cleaning.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Once they finished cleaning, Harry decided to get ready to go. While he absolutely enjoyed his time during the brunch and the _dessert,_ he had afterwards Meghan needed to start packing to go home to California. Gosh, they finally had their first kiss, well kiss turned make-out session earlier, but she had to leave so soon. As much as he wanted to ask her out, the last thing he wanted to do was rush anything in between the holidays. Finally solidifying a date, he decided that on January 5th, he would ask her out in person. Yet, it wouldn’t stop him from at least sending her home for Christmas without a gift.

“Meghan I’m going to be getting ready to go”, Harry said adjusting his scarf.

His piece of sunshine walked over to him biting the inside of her lip, “Alright, well thanks for coming today. I absolutely appreciate it.”  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck, noticing his obvious struggles with his scarf, she helped him fix it.  
  
“You know when you wear a scarf in such cold temperatures, my mama always said to ensure that you’re snug in front because it keeps the rest of your body warm.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, “Is that so?”

Meghan continued tying his scarf ensuring that was snug to herself standards, “Mhm.”

“Can you check to make sure it’s really tight?”

“Of course.”

Her fingers worked their way to pulling once more, and Harry leaned forward capturing her lips into another kiss. She giggled into the kiss, giving him another one.

“Goodbye Harry!”

“Bye Meghan!”

Harry blew her a cheeky kiss, before turning towards the door and making his exit. While walking back to his apartment, a cheesy grin was on his face. Things were certainly looking up for him and Meghan. It’s clear that she too had feelings. No more worries about that anymore, and now all he needed to do was set things right by asking her out. Even though he really wanted to wait until after Sandringham, part of him would burst if he didn’t do it before going.

Sighing, he decided that when he got home, he’d really think this through.

Don’t wait too long to ask her out Harry, you may miss your golden opportunity if you’re not careful.


	12. Chapter 10 - Tis the Season!

It had been about two weeks since Meghan and Harry shared their first kiss. To be specific, within those fourteen days they barely saw each other. Meghan’s days at the kitchen were shorter. She, like William had exams to study for along with end of semester projects. Harry finished his projects _early_ , something he **_never did_** before. He’s the kind of person that procrastinates until the night before it was due and ask his friends to pull an all-nighter with him to complete it. This time, he set aside the time, staying up a little each night to complete it. Satisfied with his work, he turned it in early. He didn’t have most of his usual distractions around him, so he had no choice BUT to complete his work.

Anyway, that was beside the point at hand. When he’s at the kitchen now it’s not as sunny as it used to be with her around. He wasn’t the clingy type at all, yet he surely felt Meghan’s absence. Their interactions with each other were stagnant. Ranging between a quick “Hi” and “Bye” before she had to go back to school to work on another paper or test. He hoped she was okay, he had a way of reading people. Her stress worried him a bit, but he knew she needed her space. It wouldn’t hurt for him to check in at least right? Well, she knows where he lives and William pretty much lives with Kate now, so the door was always open.

Speak of the devil himself, there was a knock at the door. Harry was in the kitchen trying to figure out what he wanted to eat. He could always ask the body guards to pick him something up but maybe he could cook for himself. There were two more knocks after the first one.

Turning his head towards the door the ginger yelled, “It’s OPEN!”

The door knob was turned, and there stood Meghan holding a bag of what looked like take-out. It’s amazing how the lord works in mysterious ways because both of his concerns were addressed instantly. Harry walked out of the kitchen greeting his friend happily with a hug and thanking her for the food. He placed it on the coffee, motioning for her to sit. Together two sat, and they immediately picked where they left off. They talked about how the last portion of the academic semester was going and their plans for the holidays. Opening the bag of food, Meghan brought some Korean barbeque, and they laid it out with the Peach and Cream flavored Soju.

“So how are you these days Meg?”

“Tired. If I see one more script analysis of King Lear or a Midsummer Night’s Dream costume fitting, I’ll scream.”

Ah that’s right, for those who forgot Meghan is a double major in International Studies and Theatre.

Harry shook his head, “As for politics?”

Meghan took a bite of the grilled chicken, reaching her chopstick for more kimchi.

“Politics is fine, we’re amid our final exam which is a write up for a debate. We’re supposed to pick a case relevant to Toronto and present it with a group. My topic is on ‘The Pink Tax’ and the accessibility of women’s toiletries in public spaces.”

Harry nodded, he’s always impressed with how passionate Meghan is on women’s relations. She reminded him of his mother a bit. She always had a hand in working with women closely.

“Enough about me Harry, how about you? Did you finish all your projects?”

The prince gave her a wide smile. “YES! Procrastination didn’t beat my ass. Guess being suspended has its perks?”

Meghan playfully shook Harry’s head with both of her hands, “This should be COMMON PRACTICE HARRY!!”

Harry stuck his tongue out at her. “Nah that’s just too much work for me. I’d die.”

The freckled girl flicked her pale friend on the nose, “LAZY.”

Harry felt that through his core, of course she would hit him with the one-word jab. She always had a way of expressing herself without exclamation points. She wasn’t one to yell unless she was excited but even that’s rare. She served her words with an impact. She’s the only person besides his father, or grandmother to do that.

“I’m not lazy just selectively active.”

“LAZY.”

“Fine.”

Bringing his face closer to hers, the two kissed happily. After giving Meghan two more kisses he quickly left the room to bring back her Christmas card. Originally, he wanted to give Meghan everything together in the new year but there wasn’t enough time. He figured it’d be best to break everything into pieces. If only he’d planned this out better, maybe this wouldn’t seem so rushed. Oh, to hell with it Harry it’s the thought that counts. Everything will fall into place. Returning to where she was sitting in the living room, he handed her the sparkly golden holiday card. It read:

_Though the winter nights can be long and frigid, it’s wonderful to have someone to warm the heart. May this Christmas be as warm and cheerful like you. Merry Christmas!  
Signed, Harry. _

Meghan looked at the card smiling, “Thank you so much!”  
  
She gave him a loving embrace, kissing his cheek.

Harry smiled, pecking her forehead, “Of course, it’s only fitting for the _bubbliest_ girl I know.”

Meghan paused, she did have his gift picked out, but she’ll be getting everything together when she gets home to California. She figured if she got him gifts from her state that were meaningful, it’d mean even more. Also, she’d have some wiggle room to get him some small trinkets from home. It was sweet of him to give her a card before they departed.  She assumed he’d be going home to England of course.  
“What will you be doing for Christmas this year?”

Harry sighed while he racked around his brain to explain Sandringham, “Just going home and celebrating the holidays with my family. All the immediate relatives go to Grandma’s house and we have a whole slew of things to do. Then on Sunday we go to church. We also do hunting around Boxing Day.”

Meghan scrunched up her nose at the thought of hunting, “So y’all shoot animals for sport?”

The prince sensed her disgust towards their tradition and simply stated, “It’s been that way in our family for years.”

She shook her head, “This ain’t it. This really ain’t it.”

Her face continued expressing utter disgust, “Okay then, well is there anything else you’re bound to do?”

Meghan’s ginger friend bit the inside of his lip, “Okay in my defense my family is a stickler on traditions alright?”

“I can tell, you sure come from a rigid family huh?”

“You have no idea, honestly I’m dreading it this year- anyway, we exchange gifts on Christmas Eve. Except we don’t buy normal present we get each other gag gifts.”

“What’s the most memorable gift you’ve given or have received?”

Harry dug deep into memory box of all Christmases leading up to this year being his 17th one in existence.

“Most memorable gift received? William’s current girlfriend gave me a ‘grow-a beard’ toy. Now for given, that would be giving my Grandma a ‘Ain’t Life A Bitch?’ coffee mug.”

Meghan chuckled, “You all sure have an interesting way of picking out gifts!”

“Trust me, it’s always a laugh getting our gag gifts.”

Deciding to switch the conversation from himself Harry asked, “How about your family?”

The Californian sunshine kept her answer short and sweet, “My mom and I celebrate together and then we head over to the community kitchen to serve food to families in need.”

Harry per usual couldn’t help but once again admire Meghan. She’s always working so hard and never once ceasing to give back. Doesn’t matter if it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas. Her involvement in her community is something else. When he was younger, his Mum used to take him to community kitchens and sometimes Pa would too but after their divorce they stopped going as much. Then when they would, just like everything else it turned into competition of who’s the better parent. He should get back into the giving spirit again this holiday season. Even if it’s for one day undercover, he’ll do it before the New Year. Giving back, is something he needed do once more. Perhaps he could work on a project during his gap year, it’d keep him busy and give him something to truly focus on that’s his own.

He took one of her hands into his, giving her a warm smile, “I hope that you have a good Christmas this year Meghan.”

Meghan felt his warmth radiating in the room, “Thanks Harry! Same to you!”

Together, the two continued conversing a little more. They went into depth about each other’s family dynamics, cultures and other interesting traditions Harry learned more about the state of California than he would have known otherwise. Every time Meghan would explain all the parts of what she loved about her home her eyes would light up. He would even find that she’d enunciate her words on specific places she favored. As for Meghan, she learned quite a bit about England that wasn’t what she knew prior to this discussion. Being as Harry is a citizen of the country, she got a _Mad Libs_ run down of what his life was like there. Judging by their conversation, he seemed to have parts of his life planned out for him. Not wanting to assume she just simply left it as _family expectations_. This cultural exchange revealed another layer of their unique dynamic to come.

Looking at the time, Harry realized it was almost 1:00am. William still hadn’t returned from Kate’s house and Meghan had an exam in nine hours.

“I should be getting ready to go! I have an exam later today.”

“If you’d like you can spend the night here. William wouldn’t be back until tomorrow afternoon.”

Without hesitation Meghan agreed to spend the night.

“Sure! Maybe I’d finally get a good night’s sleep for once.”

Once Meghan left to go to her apartment, Harry had about 10 minutes to figure out if they were sleeping in his bed or in the living room for the night. Scrambling to his room, he immediately walked into a semi-disorganized mess. _Yes_ , Harry was the wild child but NOTHING in his room compared to how William left his room especially when Kate would come over. Deciding against sleeping in his room for the night, he opted to grab some spare blankets and pillows to make a "bed" for them on the couch. He also made haste in changing into his t-shirt and commando sweatpants. Fixing everything to look decent, he sat himself down on the sofa with a bowl of Chex Mix and two bottles of water. Purposely leaving the door open, Meghan returned having changed her own clothes and tossing her duffel bag onto the sofa.

"Welcome back somebody looks comfortable!"

"With Chex Mix and sweatpants, you can never go wrong!"

Meghan made herself comfortable next to Harry, pulling one of blankets close to her, "What's on the agenda for tonight?"

Harry blushed feeling his sweatpants getting a little tight, "Watching a movie? Drinking vodka? It's – uh... up to you?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Are you okay?"

"I'm good! Just a little tired."

"Maybe we should just go to sleep."

"Oh, come one Meg! We have at least" he checked the time on his phone saying 1:30am, "eight hours and thirty minutes before you have to wake up!"

"Then we should do something to put us to sleep."

Harry went wide eyed, was she thinking what he was thinking?

"FISTING!?"

Meghan paused, "WAIT DID YOU JUST SAY FISTING !?"

Harry coughed "No I mean like watching Boxing, but fisting came out first."

"So, you want to fist me?"

"NO!"

"Are you SUUUUUREEE???"

"MEG!"

"Hey, I'm just asking I mean you seemed pretty serious with that _'FISTING'_ comment"

"You mean you want me to fist you?!"

"Harry shut the fuck up!"

"Well you know if you don't want to be fisted there are other ways, I can put us both sleep. I've been told that I'm very skilled at the art of sleep spells!"

Harry winked at her, biting his lip.

Meghan pressed the tip of her tongue to the roof of her mouth, "Is that so? What kind of skills are these?"

"A skilled man doesn't tell, he shows."

She leaned closer to him, looking the prince into his eyes.

"However, I don't think you're ready for that kind of expertise yet."

"What makes you think I'm not ready?"

"I'll know when you are. Don't rush the process."

He pecked her lips, "Anyway, you have a test in the morning."

Meghan scoffed, "So you're just going to tease without any action? You're just leaving me here like this?"

Harry pressed kisses against her neck, "Maybe ...."

An inaudible moan escaped her mouth while he worked his kisses towards her lips. Kissing her softly, he pulled her closer to him. He pulled away from her lips slowly.

"Goodnight!"

Meghan playfully grabbed him by the end of his shirt placing her lips against his. She straddled his hips, holding his hands in place. Harry went wide-eyed, melting into the kiss trying to ignore the growing erection in his sweatpants. Managing to release her holds on his hands, he slid them down to her waist. He moaned into her kisses, letting her set the pace. Her fingers massaged the nape of his neck, while he sucked onto her bottom lip. Their kisses got heated and the moans continued. Harry felt Meghan roll her hips against his crotch. Pulling away, he nibbled at the weak spot on her neck leaving a mark.  
  
He placed his lips against her ear, "Maybe you're actually better at this me. Fuck!"

Meghan pressed her forehead against his, "You haven't seen anything yet."

Damn she really did that! They weren't even dating yet. Did he truly meet his match?

He felt her thumb trace his lip before she gave him two more kisses.

"Mm, that requires payment because my lessons aren't free."

Harry sucked at her bottom lip, "Fisting?"

Meghan shoved him to the side of the sofa, "Oh god you're still on that topic."

“Kidding!”

He stuck his tongue out at her, and within seconds she tried to catch his tongue with her mouth. However, she got a few kisses from him instead. Snuggling closer to each other, they pulled up the blanket getting comfortable on the sofa. The silence between then was telling. Since the last time they saw each other prior to today, they had their first kiss. They knew they were friends but what happened between Friendsgiving and now wasn't just friendship. There's something more going on. It needed to be discussed. However, due to it already being 3am, this conversation is on hold. However, if there's one thing they knew the connection they had was unlike anything they experienced before prior to meeting each other. They've only known each other for almost two months but the strong feelings were getting harder to ignore.

"Goodnight Meghan, all the best on your exam tomorrow."

"Thanks Harry! I'll need all the _luck_ I can get."

"Relax, you'll pass them."

He kissed her hand, lacing her fingers with hers.

Meghan set her alarm to wake her up at 9:00 giving her enough time to get ready and eat before entering the exam hall.

Together, they drifted off to dreamland. At exactly 9:00 am they woke up and Meghan quickly kissed Harry good morning and goodbye before going back to her apartment. Harry watched her go and continued to doze off a little more. She really put him to sleep just from kissing alone. He could only wonder what would happen if they were to - well that's a bridge to not tread into just yet. He wouldn’t put her in a position she wasn’t comfortable with. Consent is his number one policy, and it applies to every girl he’s been with up to this point. Except, in this case instead of himself leading, he wanted Meghan to initiate it. Not that he’s lazy but she has quite the seductive side and he had no qualms about being told what to do. He liked it when she was in control, it sent chills down his spine. She’s tiny and having someone smaller than him calling the shots, _whew_ what a turn on.

William strolled into the apartment whistling a merry tune.

"Hey Romeo, what's on your mind?"

Harry threw his pillow at his brother's face, "I could ask you the same question. Do you even live here anymore?"

"As of Sunday, at 12:00pm we don't anymore!"

"WHAT!? WHY?"

William entered the kitchen, pouring himself a glass, yes, a glass of vodka with cinnamon sticks inside.

"Sandringham, don’t you remember?"

"That's not until December 23rd."

"Relax cunt, Pa wants to see us. You know our father?"

"Yes, I'm well aware of the left nut he used to bring me here Wills."

The blonde prince almost choked on his liquor, "You're fucking gross dude!"

"We had to get here somehow."

"It's 10:00 am don't I need to take you to the kitchen?"

" Squeak will get me there this morning. You and your Aunt Margot aesthetics can stay home."

"So, it's like that now Harry?"

"Hell, yeah!"

His elder brother shook his head, sighing. No matter how annoying he could be, there's no one quite like Harry. Though he tried to trade him off like a Pokémon when they were kids, deep down he knew his brother is worth it. Something was changing with his little brother, even with his snarky remarks. It's as if he'd gone a little softer. Looks like Meghan may be an influence on him. However, it wasn't his problem or his business. Meddling is for children and Uncle Andrew. His only hope remained that Harry would be able to find a place where he truly becomes stable. It may even take years, but he’d always root him no matter what. William just wanted him to be happy. Finishing the last of his drink, he watched Harry bid him adieu, leaving with Squeak to the kitchen. Looking over at the messy living room he chuckled. Typical, typical _Harry_.

Only a few more days and together they’ll be on their way home to get ready for Christmas at Sandringham. Hopefully, with these small changes Harry had within this short period of time would impress their father. Tis the season to growth and reunions!


	13. Chapter 11 - Homeward Bound!

The car ride to the airport went from one filled with anxiousness and excitement to complete silence. Harry, William, Kate and Meghan were piled into Squeak’s Range Rover. Since Meghan’s flight was the same day as the brothers’ they offered to give her a ride. William and Kate took the second row, while Harry and Meghan sat together in the back. The ride started out with everyone singing along to Christmas carols. One of the song suggestions was “Louisiana Christmas Day” by Aaron Neville to start the journey. Meghan figured what better way to pump up the merriness in Christmas than to sing his iconic hit?

_I'm a family man_

_I wasn't born to roam_

_But it seems like every Christmas time_

_It takes me farther from my home_

_I love singin' my song, but it get's me down_

_To hang my stockin' in some hotel_

_When the fat man comes to town_

The Brits in the car having not been to Louisiana a day in their lives were curious about the bayous and the Southern United States cuisine. Meghan pulled out her phone happily showing them some of the dishes, and cultural landmarks. Harry looked in amazement at some of her pics from the trip she took a few years ago. New Orleans, the capital screamed ‘party town.’ He watched one of the videos of Meghan dancing with her friends to T-Lo’s “All Day”, red cups in hand. She took a swig of her drink in the video, doing as she described to be the _Jukebox Challenge_. Meghan had her cup in one hand and her clutch in the other while doing the dance as the song blasted through the bus’s speakers. Harry chuckled as she slightly tipped over but got up again to continue dancing. She had this cute way of dancing he couldn’t look away from honestly. Harry, Harry, Harry just wait for the days she twerks and red noses you, you ain’t ready. Meghan has hip rolls for DAYS sir, those cheeks CLAP on beat.

_But, it's alright, it's gonna to be okay_

_This year I'll be home come a Louisiana Christmas day_

_Oh, mama, I'm gonna find a way_

_Your little boy comin' on home to the Louisiana Christmas day_

He never knew she could get down like that. When she told him the drink she had was a little bit of Cranberry-Vodka, he couldn’t be prouder. Who knew she had that within her?! However, learning these little tidbits about her made him love her even more. He was going to miss her so much during his holiday at Sandringham. Why did today have to be the day they were leaving? The drive to the airport was only an hour but he didn’t want to leave her side. He pulled her closer to him, lacing his fingers with hers. He wanted to savor those few minutes they had to cuddle before they were apart for two weeks. Don’t get him wrong, he wasn’t mad about seeing his lads for the New Year but good god this girl really worked her way into his heart.

"I'm really going to miss you Meg!"

"I'll miss you too! Hang in there though! Two weeks and we'll be back here before you know it."

"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone -"

Meghan silenced his off tune singing with another kiss.

"Sunshine is right here!"

Harry giggled against her lips, kissing her once more.

William who turned around to ask Harry a question, paused before saying "Are you really about to sit here and suck lips on the ride on the airport?"

Harry cocked his head to the side, "Are you upset you don’t have your own lips to suck?"

William remained unphased by his little brother's comments, "Do you remember what gate we're dropping Meghan off at?"

Harry scoffed, "You do realize Meghan is right here? Why don't you ask her? Who raised you !?!"

William shot Harry a look before turning to Meghan with a smile, "Meghan which gate do you need to be dropped off at?"

Meghan looked down at her ticket, "Gate 7 at the South Terminal."

"Alright! We'll be headed there as well. Okay lovebirds you can do whatever you were doing earlier."

Harry sighed, shaking his head, "Please excuse my brother I don't know where his asshole nature comes from sometimes."

Meghan shrugged, honestly, she’s exhausted and honestly if she could have stayed in Toronto, she wouldn't mind at all.

Continuing to watch the cars go by, Meghan eventually dozed off. Harry noticed, giving her a smile. Even when she's a sleeping sun she's cute. Harry continued looking out the window thinking back to his first day flying here. He couldn't help but sing the lyrics to all the songs on the radio. At the time while begrudgingly accepting his punishment, this all turned out for the best. If he didn't get suspended, he probably wouldn't have met Meghan. Who knows what the future could have held for him? Either way, his consequences turned out the best in quite a few aspects. He didn't feel any different but the changes he had were there. Now he needed to prepare his walk of shame - nah fuck that, walk of confidence into Sandringham Church. No way in hell is he going to have a defeatist attitude. Yeah, he fucked up, but life goes on. Shit happens, deal with it! He glanced over where Kate was sitting in front of him. Judging by her body language she and her boyfriend Wombat were knocked out. Shit, well considering everyone else is asleep, guess he could take a quick nap himself.

Through the time the prince slept on, Squeak managed to arrive at the airport. Now, reality truly kicked in. They were here preparing to depart for their separate Christmas holidays. Harry opened the door for Meghan, taking her hand as she exited the car. Everyone took turns taking out their suitcases. William glanced over at his brother, noticing he wanted a moment alone with Meghan before leaving. He turned his head and motioned for himself and Kate to wait by the door. Harry took Meghan by the hands, he didn’t really have much to say. God, he hated saying goodbye. Why the hell is even acting like this when it’s only a two-week vacation for international students? He seriously needed to get it together. It’s just two weeks not a year apart.

He pulled Meghan into a warm hug, “Have a great holiday Meghan! Be safe on your flight.”

She gave him a sweet smile, “I will, and you do the same! Merry Christmas to you and your family. See you in 2017!”

“See you in 2017! Call me when you get home!”

Meghan brought Harry’s face close to hers, giving him three kisses, “Will do! Bye!”  
  
“Remember Meghan, you said it’s not “Bye” but see ‘See you Later!”

“See you later Alligator!”

“All awhile crocodile!”

The freckled faced girl playfully rolled her eyes. How old were they five!?

“You’re so fucking cheesy!”

Harry smirked shrugging his shoulders while biting his lip.

“PSSHH! Don’t act like you don’t like it!”

The ginger felt his cheeks turn pink, his fingers traced his lips, only _eighteen days_ until he saw his sunshine again. Yes, he counted the four days of himself adjusting to being back home again prior to the hell- erm Christmas week festivities in store. Watching his girlfriend-to-be wave goodbye to William and Kate, he soon joined his brother to get checked into their gate. The flight home would be six hours and fifty-five minutes. Just enough time for Harry to take a power nap and hopefully de-stress before seeing his father. These next few days will be rough but all he had to do was get through it.

Harry, it’s just your usual Christmas tradition. Don’t even think about sweating it.

William walked over to him, waving his hand in his face, “HELLO! Earth to Henry! You’ve been spacing out again. What’s with you lately?”

Blinking, Harry noticed Kate holding out a cheese Danish and some coffee she purchased for him.

“Thank you, Kate, I’m starving anyway.”

The dimpled cutie smiled at him, “No problem! William said you liked these kinds of Danishes.”

When the fuck did William ever mention him in her presence?! Is this some everyday occurrence or something? He BARELY spoke of William to Meghan, okay that’s a lie. He bitched about his older brother often., much to Meghan’s concern. Anyway, this just wasn’t like Wombat at all. How the hell did she get to the point where she knew his favorite breakfast dessert? Jesus Christ, she’s really taking this Mrs. Mountbatten-Windsor role seriously, like Mr. Middleton. Oh god, does this mean he’d have to – he felt himself chew and swallow while hoping Carol the tyrant – future mother-in-law wouldn’t be so pushy. Whew, the last thing he wanted to do was somehow be hooked up with Pippa. To put it nicely, she’s as entertaining as watching paint dry in Grandma’s study. However, the paint could handle a Keg stand like a champ. He had to give her the props she earned, no denying it.

Taking a deep breath, Harry joined his brother and Kate to board the plane. Entering into the coach he placed his carry-on luggage into the bin above him. The three musketeers sat together, but luckily Harry had the window seat. Kate was in the middle and William sat in the middle. At least William's boarded body could block out any mile-high club shit he did with her. Whew, this flight would be long, and he felt it. Putting the sleep mask over his head, as soon as the plane took off, he slept somewhat peacefully.

Precisely 6 hours and 55 minutes later....

Apparently, he must have slept like a log because when he woke up all he saw were packets of biscuits in his lap. Looking over at his brother and Kate, he noticed they were quite perky. He didn't even have to ask because he's aware what took place while he was asleep. He just thanked the lord he didn't hear anything. Not once did he awaken to see it either. Hallelujah praise ye the lord in his holiest of names, Amen! He munched on some of the biscuits while waiting for the pilot to announce their landing at Heathrow Airport. Pulling out his phone, he remembered that while he's home now, he needed to get his service put on again. While it would be easier to use the wifi at Kensington Palace, it isn't always guaranteed that he'd be home all the time or if he's out with the lads, remembering to connect to it. He hoped Meghan made it home safely. He missed her already, man these next few days needed to hurry up, so he could get to her again.

Those three kisses and the hug they shared isn't enough, time didn't work with them at all.

Not to worry Harry, in exactly 18 days you'll be with Meghan again. Just focus on celebrating the holidays and catching up with the lads.

After collecting their items, and exiting the plane, the trio went through customs, then grabbed their luggage. As soon as they exited the airport to the gate to be picked up, there were the Middletons ready to take them to Kensington Palace. If Harry really wanted to be fucked up the ass that badly this holiday season, he could've called Guy or Charlie to take that same broom he beat that fucking twat Winston with and stick it up there. Did they really need to get a ride from Carole, Mike, Marshallow Jesus and Pippy-Long-Stocking? Eh, well he can't complain. At least someone offered and didn't roll their eyes internally at the being requested by their father. Forcing himself to smile, he greeted everyone and bunkered himself into the backseat.

Dimming the backlight on his phone, he slipped in his airpods and quietly flipped through his gallery of photos. Most of them from the previous month were of him and Meghan. The night before, they took some photos together in ugly Christmas sweaters to commemorate the season. Obviously, it's Meghan's idea but he had no complaints with wearing them. Scrolling even further down, there were photographs from their first outing together. He recorded themselves singing along to Janet Jackson's Escapade. Boy did he need an Escapade himself. Opening Spotify, he turned on Childish Gambino's Sunrise.

_Hey, what it do bitch?_

_Why these other rappers do shit stupid?_

_While they be sleepin' I be onto that new shit_

_While they be sleepin' I be onto that new shit_

_Hey, what it do bitch?_

_Why these other rappers do shit stupid?_

_While they be sleepin' I be onto that new shit_

_While they be sleepin' I be onto that new shit_

He thought back to a brief memory of when Arthur introduced him to Gambino's Camp album right before he got suspended. He had Sunrise on loop, it spoke to him. From the moment he heard the song, he couldn't help but jam out much to his roommates' annoyance. Childish Gambino always had good songs, but the Camp record had the sound he likes most. No other work of music besides Jay-Z's Black Out hit this hard. When the music turned on, he sent himself to his mind. However, this moment of being to one's self would be interrupted by Pippa- of course tapping him to tell him they made it to the castle.

 _Great_ , now it was time to meet up with everyone and act like he didn't spend about a month almost two months in Toronto, Canada. Hah, who's he fooling? They all knew what happened anyway, according to William it didn't take long for Grandpa Philip to bring up his fight at a dinner. That old ass dirtbag, while he loved him - man, god really let him cheat the system on life huh? Anyway, he snapped himself back to reality and had his servant Jam help him to take everything to his room. The Middletons quickly made their way off the premises - thank Jesus back to their shack they called a home.

Harry, stop being so rude. That family has been nothing but kind to William and you. What the hell did the Middletons ever do to you?

Well to answer that question, _simply exist_ right? Harry do better.

Following the start of unpacking his bags, Harry was summoned by his father to have tea. He hadn’t even been home for two hours and his dad’s ready to talk. Begrudgingly escorting himself to his father’s chambers, he felt this anxiousness slowly seeping in. The faster he got through this conversation, the better. Walking down the hallway, all his mind rattled through were the possible ways he could greet his father. The last time he had these many thoughts shifting around, he’d been grounded. Taking his time, he continued strolling along the carpet, taking up time trying to decrease the amount of interaction with him. To hell with it, just get on with the deed Harry. Stop stalling and face your father like a man.

Opening the door to Charles’ study he’s greeted by his step-mother Camilla.

“Well if it isn’t my flaming step-son Harry!” She walked over to him giving him a hug and a pat on the back.

“Hey Camilla! How are you?”

“Doing fine, how’s your time been in Toronto? Charles is waiting to see you!”

Harry paused, contemplating on his answer, “I’ll tell you about it later. Good to see you Camilla.”

“Same to you!”

The second-born opened the door to see his father shuffling through some files on his desk.

“Welcome home son! Come sit, we have a bit to discuss.”

By Charles’ tone of voice, he either seemed indifferent towards the conversation or content about something. Whatever it was, Harry sensed it immediately.

 “Happy Holidays my boy! How are things with you?”

Harry blinked, taking his time to answer, “Things are fine!”

Charles placed his hands on his desk, he lightly tapped his fingers, “Anything new with you lately?”

“Not much Pa! Just got my grades back and I passed with a C+.”

“Great job! How is therapy? Helping at all?”

“Yes, very much so along with the community service. I’ve been able to focus more with this time away.”

“I’m proud to hear about your progress. Keep up the good work.”

Harry smiled, it wasn’t often that he got a ‘Good Job’ or ‘I’m proud of you.’ Hearing this made him feel a sense of accomplishment inside. After speaking for a few minutes more, Charles left to go attend a dinner meeting with Camilla for a fundraising initiative. Luckily, since he just got home, he could relax for a bit and check his phone to see if Meghan called. Returning to his room, he changed into his sweats then pulled out his phone once again. He had one missed called with a voicemail from Meghan. Clicking on it the voicemail option, he blushed hearing her voice through the phone.

“Hey Harry, it’s Meg! Just wanted to call to let you know I made it home safely. Hope you had a safe flight. Merry Christmas!”

Is it possible to sense someone smiling through the phone? Because if so, he knew Meghan did. Even on the phone, she radiated sunshine, my goodness. Not wasting any time, he immediately returned her call using Facetime. The dial tone rung out a few seconds and he saw a white ceiling that resembled cottage cheese. Suddenly, the screen shifted because the phone was turned around. Meghan placed her phone onto her dresser, where she could see it. Harry continued staring into the screen not realizing he’s making a funny face into it. Once Meghan got her phone adjusted and turned on the sound, she waved at Harry through the screen.

“Hi!!”

The ginger waved back, “Hi!! How was your flight?”

“For a five-hour flight pretty decent, yours?”

“I slept the whole way through so maybe it’s good?”

Meghan giggled, “If you can sleep like log on a flight you’re set.”

Harry nodded, “Mm, I have the skill mastered to a science.”

From the moment their conversation started, they instantly picked up where they left off. Meghan showed him a facetime view of what parts of her bedroom looked like. While he wanted to do the same, he knew if the he gave away a portion of Kensington Palace it’d likely reveal his identity. It’s not like his aristocratic friends where they have sleek, modern furniture in their home. His room was remodeled to closely fit a modern Prince’s lifestyle BUT anyone with a keen eye would know that his bed frame isn’t just for anyone. However, he did give her a glimpse of his view outside the window. She looked in awe at the sights of the lawn, he certainly got to see some breathtaking parts of nature in the morning. Glancing at the time on his phone, he noticed it was getting close to eight pm. He needed to go and eat with his family.

He hated that in the middle of a great conversation with her, he had to go.

Oh well Harry, you know how these things work out.

“Meghan, I had to cut out conversation short but I have to get ready to go now.”

“It’s all good! You take care okay?”

“I will! I miss you and have a good evening. Take care too!”

“Aww, I miss you too! Bye Bye Harry!”

“Bye Meghan!”

The call disconnected, and Harry still couldn’t believe that talked for two hours. Honestly, it felt like a twenty-minute call at most. Of course, this does happen when you find someone engaging like her to speak to. God bless Facetime because if this were a regular phone call, he wouldn’t have answered most likely. Talking on the telephone was awkward for him. However, his skills as a texter are unmatched when he has signal and Wi-Fi. He’s the king of memes in his group chats and has loads of stickers of himself and the lads on WhatsApp. He even created a group chat strictly for stickers only. If anyone used text or memes, they were kicked out. Man, he needed to get that chat fired up again since he’s home now.

Heading down the stairs, he waved at his grandfather before going to the dining room where his brother and father were. Grandpa Philip gave him a solid and continued to his room. He’d catch up with Grandpa later because boy did, he have _some shit to say about William._ Contrary to popular belief, while William is hailed as the golden child, Harry is Grandpa’s favorite. There are no arguments about it. The two of them were like peas in and pod when they talked together. Despite Grandpa throwing some shade, and lighting Harry ablaze sometimes, they connected well and shared mutual experiences.

Making his way into the dining room he leaned the against the frame of the entrance.

“Greetings father and elder sibling with a future-bride to be.”

William raised an eyebrow, if Harry had plans to fight him again at dinner he could choke.

Charles waved at his youngest son, patting the seat next to him for him to sit.

This would be an interesting dinner and he could feel it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Louisiana Christmas Day is by Aaron Neville  
> Sunrise is by Childish Gambino  
> All Day is T-Lo, a Louisiana based rapper 
> 
> One of Harry's nicknames for Meghan is 'Sunny', and throughout the story there will references to the sun because of it.


	14. Chapter 12 - 4 Page Letter

December 21st, 2016

Three days passed since Harry made it home to England. The only thing on his mind besides getting into the Christmas spirit was fine-tuning Meghan’s gifts. He already had the family’s gag gifts stored and sorted earlier in the year. He never missed an opportunity to use those Amazon deals for presents. However, when it came to Meghan finding a gift for someone like her is nerve-wracking. To most people this honestly wasn’t that difficult but to him this was almost a make or break situation. He had to ensure his gift embodied his emotions for her. In his gifts giving past, he typically gave his girlfriends something based on what they hinted towards wanting that year.  He felt it’s time to evolve with the times. No more: perfumes, body lotions, scented candles, candies in the shape of a sex toy as a gag gift, or costume jewelry. This time he’s really going for something thoughtful.

Entering Giuliano’s jewelry shop, he looked around him ensuring no one noticed him. After communicating with him through WhatsApp and hushed phone calls, they worked on the foundation of Meghan’s gifts. He only disclosed this as a gift for one of his friends, although the jeweler read right through him. The last time he worked on any jewelry was for himself when he got a bangle with his mother’s name engraved on the inside with her birthday. Greeting Giuliano, the two immediately went to work on the design of Meghan’s future bracelet.

“What kind of design are you thinking of going for with these bracelets?”

Harry pulled out Diana’s yellow-gold butterfly bracelet and his Botswana beaded bracelet out.

“I want to have two bracelets made similarly to these two.” He pulled out one more bracelet with Peridots on them, “Also two bracelets with two peridots on it.”

Giuliano opted against having Harry pay, and decided the handiwork would be done as a gift for him. Princess Diana frequented his shop and was a beneficiary of his handiwork during her time on earth. Nothing made him happier than to know, his work would eventually be passed onto her son’s future wives. The funniest part of it all is that he didn’t expect Harry to be the first of her sons to come in here on their own. He always figured William would do so, but life has an interesting way of working things out. Clearing his thoughts, he went to work taking out different styles of the bracelets he’d make. He noted Harry’s blue eyes going wide at the vast selection of designs to choose from.

Harry’s eyes glanced over the thread-bare yellow gold bangles picking two of them instantly. The gears in this head began churning towards the perfect pieces. _These gifts were going to be perfect._ All he had to do now was pay Giuliano and wait to be notified when everything’s ready. Never has he felt _this excited_ about getting presents for someone outside of the usual gag gifts with his family. His heart fluttered thinking about Meghan’s reaction when she saw the presents. He truly is smitten with her, it constantly showed. Hopefully, his father wouldn’t figure anything out about it. He wasn’t ready to tell him about her yet, heck let alone drop any hints. Thanking Giuliano for working with him, he paid the gentleman using one of his cards, and shook his hand. The jeweler patted his shoulder, praising him for his choices.

“Whomever this person is getting this jewelry, they’re lucky. You have taste.”

The ginger felt his cheeks turn red, “Thank you, I hope they like what I’ve picked out.”

Heading out the door, Harry continued beaming.

_Mission accomplished!_

Meanwhile in Los Angeles …

Meghan strolled down the streets trying to find the perfect present for Harry. She knew her friend was from England and didn't really know much about Los Angeles outside of Disneyland and Hollywood. However, she wanted to at least find something good for his Christmas gift. Originally, she opted to get everything while she was in Toronto, but her schedule and the constant running around prevented her from getting anything done. Luckily, she had her chance today after working at the local kitchen earlier in the morning. Now the only question to be answered was 'What do you get a British guy for Christmas?' Turning to her friend Lindsay, she groaned as the blonde dragged her through every store. _SOMETHING_ had to be perfect for him!

"Okay Meghan what's on your mind? You've been making goofy faces at everything I've picked out."

Meghan sighed once again, growing in dissatisfaction with the selection of men's apparel and objects in Spencer's.

Lindsay nudged Meghan, "Come Meghan you can tell me. You've been glaring into these anal beads like you have heat vision."

Meghan chuckled, "Just frustrated that I can't seem to find the perfect gift for my friend."

The blonde shook her head, "Because you're thinking too hard. Loosen up, whatever you get him they'll like it. Plus, you said he liked gag gifts, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Think of something related to a joke or whatever you two had? You're the gift-giving Queen Meg. You've got this shit in the bag!"

Suddenly she thought back to when she and Harry had their last hot make out sessions before she took her final exam. Glancing over the sex toys, she picked up spearmint flavored lube, then lo and behold .... long black fetish fisting gloves. PERFECT, now she could get back at her fisting addicted ginger. She chuckled to herself trying to not reveal anything. She also grabbed a bullet vibrator to add to her "care package." Whew boy, Harry you sure have a storm coming and we hear it vibrates and stretches. Now, all that's left is for her to purchase some simple California souvenirs, American Candy, Weed Socks, and a cookbook. Maybe her gifts were mostly random, but they were the best fit for someone so colorful in her life. To top it off, she even started a hand threaded blue bracelet with a charm of his initial on it. Move over Mariah Carey, the real queen of Christmas was Rachel Meghan Markle.

"WAIT ARE THOSE LATEX FETISH FISTING GLOVES MEGHAN !?"

Meghan bit her lip, "You could say my friend has an interesting lifestyle."

Lindsay cocked her head to the side, "My best friend is getting happily fisted and is into BDSM but doesn't tell me !?"

Deciding to go along with it the Californian sunshine winked, "I don't cum and tell!"

Lindsay giggled, oh man whatever Toronto's doing to Meghan she's been unleashing her kinky side. Latex fetish gloves and a choker!? Damn, Megs is living her best life out there. Oh Lindsay, you have no idea what's to come for your girl. She's truly flourishing. We stan a supportive bestie, anyway, keep cheering her on! That support is the fuel she needs to eventually take Harry down. We're speaking this energy into 2017!

Giving her friend a supportive hug, the blonde kissed her friend's cheek.

"My little girl Meg is growing up so nicely. Getting whips and chains in bed and being fisted by a proper brit."

Meghan blushed, while that hasn't happened at all she continued laughing. All she knew was that while she liked him, she was a little sure she wanted to date him. Eh, whatever happens will happen. She needed to make sure the purchases she bought weren't seen by her mom. It's not that her mom necessarily would flip out, but she didn't want any questions about why she had latex gloves and a question about if she was fisting herself.

 Lord, she remembered the last time she and her ex fucked in the backseat of his car and she came in with hickeys and a hand mark from being pressed against the window face first. It took her a while to come up with a good thesis for all the marking she received that night. Her mom kept staring at her and then laughed for a few minutes until she shaded her for it. Snapping herself out of her stupor, she continued her shopping trip with Lindsay. Much to her dismay her bubbly blonde friend already flamed their group chat with Marcus about the latex gloves. Marcus called the girls for facetime and gave Meghan a smile.

"MMKAY BOO! I see you getting fisted and fucked right! YASS!"

Meghan bit the inside of her lip, lord this was going to be a long Christmas break.

Back in London …

The Wales boys were taking a walk around the grounds of Highgrove. Clutching their mugs of William's Brandy hot chocolate, they strolled together in a blissful silence. However, Harry was too busy in the tangle of his thoughts to even really observe his surroundings. Charles picked up on this and decided to slightly meddle into his son's mind. He's NEVER this quiet or in depth with his thinking. Charles and William were typically the quiet ones. Something had to be going on for the silence to be as blissful as it is right now. Taking a slight glance, he noticed Harry pulling out his phone and his lock screen glowed revealing a photograph of him and a freckled young woman wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. Deciding to break the silence, Charles ruffled his son's hair.

"A penny for your thoughts my boy?"

Harry looked up from his lock screen blinking, "Nothing Pa! Just checking the time."

"Who stares at their iPhone screen for ten minutes just to check the time?"

"William?"

William rolled his eyes at Harry, he didn't ask to be dragged into whatever Charles started.

"Pa if you want to know that badly, Harry likes a girl named Meghan."

The youngest of the Wales trio turned on his heels towards William, taking a deep breath he laughed it off.

"She's just a friend. I know how to have platonic friendships William. You just don't have the skill set because you lack the decency to keep it in your pants."

_Okay Harry, so we're really going there this afternoon? REALLY?_

Charles bit on his lips, while his beady blue eyes expressed it all. Why did he even decide to open Pandora's box? Perhaps it'd be best to take this all with a grain of salt. As for William having issues with platonic friendships, he is well versed in knowing his oldest son has had plenty of orgies. This isn't anything he nor Harry were unaware of. William may try to be calculated but the Prince of Wales is always several steps ahead. Nothing went past him ever. Well, whenever Harry was ready to discuss his relationship or "platonic friendship" he'd be all ears. Besides, Harry's disgustingly obvious when he likes someone and it's a sight to see. Whoever this Meghan is, he hoped she knew the kind of handful she'd be dealing with. Pausing, he briefly pulled his sons into a hug.

"This year hasn't been the best but I'm proud of you both."

The boys patted their father's shoulders, "Thanks Pa."

The trio proceeded to complete their last lap around Highgrove before going inside for dinner. Later in the evening Harry called up the lads to check in on them. Unfortunately, none of them answered. Opening WhatsApp, he left a brief message asking what they wanted to do on New Year’s Eve. Putting his phone on vibrate he decided to focus on writing a letter to Meghan expressing his feelings for her. This would be easy right? Just a simple note, it’s like talking to her in person. He’s used to doing stuff like this for Chelsy, and while he vehemently denies it Cressida too. Shit will be an entire cake walk by the time he’s done.

_Dear Meghan,_

_I wanted to write you this letter because -_

No! Not good enough.

_Season's Greetings Meghan -_

This is too formal even for him!

Groaning, he needed to figure out a way to write a decent note to her. Why the hell did have to be so difficult? All he wants to do is say he likes her and enjoys having her around. How difficult should it be? Why is he always making things more complicated than necessary? For someone who's a Virgo he sure acts like a Pisces when stressed. Harry, just breathe and take this writing one step at a time. Think of reasons to why you like her. List all the qualities which draw you to her. You can do this; the feelings are there just allow them to seep into your consciousness. Let it flow naturally, don’t force it.

That's it! All he needed to do was write a list of the adjectives and qualities he liked about her. It's perfect!

_Things I Like About Meghan - By Harry_

  1. _Intelligence_
  2. _The most driven person I've ever met_
  3. _Determination is her middle name_
  4. _Her beautiful gummy smile_
  5. _She's like sunshine and warmth_
  6. _How she draws me in with her brown eyes_
  7. _Her selflessness_
  8. _The way she embodies self-love_
  9. _Confidence_
  10. _Poise_
  11. _The twinkle in her eyes_
  12. _Her love of food #Foodie_
  13. _Her height_
  14. _The way she strategically stacks rings on her fingers_
  15. _Her love for her home state California_
  16. _Charitable_
  17. _Beautiful Soul_
  18. _Encouraging_
  19. _Great hugger/kisser_
  20. _Accepts me for who I am as a person not a title._



_Bonus: Someone I can talk to about anything._

Smiling at the list, Harry was confident in his many reasons why he liked Meghan so much. Now he just had to convert everything into a well written letter. Picking up his pen, he once again started pouring out his emotions. This time, he used his list to help him. Within minutes he managed to write the first two paragraphs with ease. What is he so worried about anyway? At least he’s now making his feelings known publicly between them.

_Dear Meghan,_

_By the time you have received this letter, I would’ve done something else within the process. However, if I’m unable to express myself clearly through words I hope that this note does so for me. I’m writing this letter to you because I’d like to express my feelings for you. Since you are a stickler for handwritten this is one that comes from my heart. To keep the long story short, in the short period of time we’ve known each other you mean a lot to me. I don’t say this often but you’ve really used your ‘Sparke’ to charm me. You’re infectious with your optimism, passion, dedication and selflessness. From the moment we met I had a great feeling about you. My intuitions weren’t wrong and having you in my life is a thrill. You never judged me once and have been nothing but encouraging. Thank you so much for being a person in my corner._

_For the New Year, I’d like to start things off right by asking you a simple question._

_Will you go out with me?_

_Sincerely,_

_Harry_

It didn’t necessarily incorporate all his listed identifiers of what he loved about Meghan, but it got to the point. At least by writing it out he’s able to truly see the emotions he’s kept inside. All he had to do in the new year was take the dive. He feels ready, but he knows he might choke or let nerves get to him. NO! Don’t let your nerves get to you or choke you up Harry. Be positive, you can’t count all your eggs before they hatch. Do NOT count yourself out either. Let things happen the way they’re supposed to. Breathe, and allow yourself room to go with your gut. Henry Charles Albert David, if you could survive watching William ask Kate out to the Royal Ascot, you’ll be fine.

Harry’s phone lit up and Spotify turned to Aaliyah’s 4 Page Letter. He nodded as the lyrics filled the room with the mood of everything he felt. At the same time in Los Angeles, Meghan was listening to the song too. She hummed to the lyrics thinking about what she’d write for Harry. Music has an interesting way of connecting people together emotionally. It always expresses feelings one can’t say or write at the time. The lyrics of Aaliyah’s song summarized their emotions towards one another. Pretty soon, those mental ‘4 page letters’ would become a reality.

_Mama always told me to be careful who I love_

_And daddy always told me make sure he's right_

_I always had my eyes on this one particular guy_

_I was too shy so I decided to write_  


_I'm sending him a 4 page letter_

_And I enclosed it with a kiss_

_And when I write him he better get it on time_  
  


_I'm sending him a 4 page letter_

_And I enclosed it with a kiss_

_And when I write him he better get it on time_

_I'm sending him a 4 page letter_

_And I enclosed it with a kiss_

_And when I write him he better get it on time_

Get it on time.  
  
Harry smiled to himself, it wouldn't be long now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4 Page Letter is by Aaliyah 
> 
> For those who have never witnessed her musical greatness here's a link to her song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GycpLyqmvz8


	15. Chapter 13 - Sandringham

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year ! 2019 is going to be a great year ! Here's another update !!

“Henry Charles Albert David are you going to just sit there on your phone or at least have the decency to say hello to your favorite cousin ??”

Looking up from his phone, he saw Zara leaning over him with a wrapped present in her hand. He formed a sly smirk, clicking his screen off. His snap streak with Skippy would have to wait. Harry reached his hand up to grab the gift, but Zara dodged her hands around him, causing him to lean over backwards.

"Hey cuzzo! What's up?"

Zara smacked Harry upside the head, "Obviously not your coordination dick head. Give me a hug!"

Standing up, he gave his elder cousin a bear hug, twirling her around. He may act like he doesn't know his family quite often but Zara, like Eugenie was an exception. Okay, he can also add Peter - sometimes but he's typically with William. Playfully pretending to kiss her face, Zara looked at him with "disgust."

"EWW HARRY! This isn't the place."

"400 years didn't stop grandma and grandpa. Don't act like you don't want it."

William and Peter turned to look at their siblings scrunching up their faces.

The mischievous duo sniggered as Zara kissed her little cousin's cheek.

"Don't hate the players, hate the game fam."

Peter shook his head, "Please don't actually conceive. We don't need another Uncle Andrew."

Zara stuck out her tongue, "Maybe if you weren't so far up William's ass you'd be able to take a joke."

Harry chewed the inside of his lip, Zara wasn't the one to fuck with.

"Just know whatever munchkins you and Mike ever decide to have they’re mine."

The blonde chuckled, "Of course, we'll add your nut to the turkey baster."

Harry kissed her hand, "I love you."

Zara pinched his cheeks, "You better! Now who's this girl William told me about?"

DAMMIT WILLIAM! CAN NOTHING BE SACRED!?!

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "WHO?"

Zara clicked the roof of her mouth with her tongue, "According to William there's a girl that's gotten you smitten. He told me you had a breakdown in the elevator on the way to a -"

That scheming, sleuthing son of a bitch.

Deciding to spin the agenda Harry wriggled his eyebrows, "So did William also tell you about how he had Kate over at 5:30am, blew her back out made her call him Daddy, and swallow his cum like a good girl?"

Zara almost choked on her water, "No but the question still remains; who's the new girl?"

Great, now he had to explain about Meghan to her before she even got to meet her. Fuck William's tattletale head ass.

Harry sighed once more, "Fine. Her name is Meghan. She's from California and attend the University as a foreign exchange student."

"OOOH! You're dating a Uni girl huh? You sly dog!"

"No, we're not dating! Not yet, that is!"

"Henry Charles you're almost back in the game again !?"

"There's no game Zara I'm serious about her."

"OH SHIT!"  
  
Harry watched Zara's expressions a bit before continuing to explain his plan to her.

"I went to Giuliano's and picked out some pieces of jewelry for her as a Christmas gift."

"NO YOU DIDN'T! OH MY GOSH!"

"Yes, a few days ago!"

Zara could barely contain her excitement; her little asshole of a cousin is growing up.

"AWW, my little baby is going out picking jewels for his future wife."

WAIT WHAT!? WIFE!? Zara, he hasn't asked her out yet!

Zara snickered, "I know what you're thinking but trust me you'll thank me on your wedding day."

The ginger rolled his eyes, what the hell would he do without her? Zara was a hot mess sometimes, but he loved her for it.

“Also, for the record we’re the same age!”  
  
“So she’s essentially a genius that attends the same school as William and you swept her off her feet!? Aren’t you suspended? You didn’t use your princely card did you?”

“NO! I haven’t told her about myself being the son of the Prince of Wales.”

“So she doesn’t know you’re William’s younger brother.”

Harry shushed her while pulling them over to a quieter location. He didn’t want any of this information to be leaked. Especially not with William’s parroting self consistently lurking for new tea to spill to everyone else. He explained how when he met Meghan, she met him as just Harry not as Prince Harry of Wales. The kitchen where he does his community service hours treats like any other person volunteering their time. Toronto for him is a place where he’s been able to have a somewhat normal life outside of this hectic Windsor bubble he’s accustomed to. Zara nodded, soaking in all of the information. For her, she didn’t have to worry too much about living in the golden fishbowl because she, like her brother doesn’t have a title. When she was younger, she thought it was odd but as she got older, she appreciated not dealing with the pressure.

“Think about this Harry, even if you ask her out eventually, you’ll have to tell her everything.”

“I’d rather just keep it to myself as long as I can.”

Zara patted Harry’s head, “I know you want to keep this part of your locked away but it’s impossible. You need to tell her; especially if you want this relationship with her to work.”

He hated when Zara was right, but she had a point. Like it or not he’s born into this family and it’s his birth right to take on the duties entailed for the spare of the heir and their father the direct heir to the throne. God thinking about just made his head hurt. Pulling them out of their hiding spot, they joined the rest of the family while Uncle Andrew did a head count of everyone. Aunt Anne spotted Harry, giving him a light squeeze in passing before greeting Aunt Sophie. Baby Louise slept quietly in Aunt Sophie’s arms. Harry walked over to where she was and gently tapped her forehead. Louise opened her eyes and cooed at her older cousin.

“Who’s cute little Cinnabon?! That’s you Lulu, that’s you!”

Aunt Sophie gestured for Harry to carry her in his arms.

Holding her close, he swayed back and forth singing a sweet tune to her, while patting her back.

_Desmond has a barrow in the market place_

_Molly is the singer in a band_

_Desmond says to Molly "girl I like your face"_

_And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand_

_Obladi oblada life goes on brahhh_

_Lala how the life goes on_

_Obladi Oblada life goes on brahhh_

_Lala how the life goes on_

Sophie and Zara chuckled at Harry's goofy faces while he sang the lyrics of the iconic Beatles song. Lord, may you bless him with children of his own. Harry never understood how he inherited the gift but like his mother he's the baby whisperer. Pick up any little child, and they're as good as gold in his hands. He thought back to the title Bea was crying as a baby and Diana held her in her arms and hummed a little song and she was asleep instantly.

Looking down he noticed, his own little bundle of joy was nodding off. Holding her for a few minutes more, he continued swaying while singing the rest of the song.

_Obladi oblada life goes on brahhh_

_Lala how the life goes on_

_Obladi Oblada life goes on brahhh_

_Lala how the life goes on_

He returned baby Louise to his aunt and waited for everyone to gather together so they could head off the to the church for their morning Christmas service.

After a ten-minute car ride, the family arrived at Sandringham Church. Dressed to the nines they started their walk down the path to greet the well-wishers. Smile, shake hands, repeat, smile, shake hands repeat; easy as pie. Harry and Zara walked with Anne. William joined Peter, Bea, and Eugenie. Uncle Andrew stood in the back trying to rub elbows with Edward who only paid attention to Sophie and their newborn Sophie. Charles and Camilla walked together. Greeting all of the visitors, Harry felt as if his jaw getting sore as he went down the line giving small talk. He normally didn't mind these engagements but for today he just wasn't feeling it at all. However, he could feel his grandmother's ever so loving gaze on him ensuring the stuck to tradition. Grandpa Philip on the hand, didn't give a fuck, he did what he needed to do and kept it moving. Harry chuckled noting his grandfather's witty comments. Quickly focusing on the crowd in front of him again, he felt an elderly woman's lips on his cheek.

Inhaling calmly, he stated, "Please don't kiss me or touch any part of my face. I prefer handshakes only."

The woman apologized immediately, "I didn't know what came over me."

Continuing his golden streak of not plotting this woman's death he maintained his composure, "Sometimes getting excitement leads you do wild things. However, this isn't okay. Please don't do it again Miss."

"Understood!"

Giving the woman a small smile, "Thank you."

He turned to Zara internally telling her about how grossed out he was. She stifled a cheeky comment and slyly took his hand strolling with him into the sanctuary. Entering the church, the priests bowed at their grandmother. “Merry Christmas your majesty, and many blessings to the royal family.” All the members of the Mountbatten-Windsor clan flashed their best smiles at the priests. Following the ushers, they were seated close to the front of the sanctuary. Standing once again, the hymnals were opened, and the rousing of Christmas songs began. The doors closed behind them and true real meaning of the holiday season filled the holistic place.

Once the service ended, the family returned to the house to eat lunch and gather amongst themselves. Harry once again stuck with Zara like glue. Whenever they were together, they stayed with each other. It’s always been this way since childhood. Harry discreetly showed Zara photographs of himself and Meghan. She nodded in approval, showing her recent pics of herself and Mike Tindall. He apparently liked playing Rugby and wanted to be a professional player. Being a major rugby nut himself, he approved of her choice as she did his. They continued talking and Eugenie joined them, trying to get into the conversation. Harry gave Eugenie a kiss on the cheek.

A little later in the evening, all the men gathered together to have their annual cigar and gin. Charles promised Harry last year he’d try to save him some gin but since he’s the prodigal son of the family right now, he gave him sparkling water. Downing the disgusting La Croix brand he sat with Peter and William listening to the older men converse about women, sports, the weather and of course the latest hunt to come. Pulling out his phone, Harry quickly texted Meghan to wish her a late Merry Christmas and asked how she’s doing. Checking his battery, he saw he had 80%. This usually didn’t happen because he typically drained it in a day- no an hour’s usage with his addiction to WhatsApp and Bandersnatch. He honestly should consider cutting back on phone time as his New Year’s resolution. Turning towards William and Peter, he noted their conversation about Kate and Autumn. Honestly, he didn’t want to hear any of it and felt like sneaking off to join the lads. Zara was busy with Eugenie and Bea, and there really wasn’t anyone else to talk to.

Then again, he couldn’t complain because he managed to dodge any conversation with Uncle Andrew at all costs.

Looking across the room he saw Andrew approaching him with a smug grin on his face.

He spoke too soon, this ass wipe _HAD_ to draw attention to himself, great!

“Greetings nephew, I’ve heard through the grape vine about your recent outburst. How are you?”

Harry remained neutral, the faster he kept this conversation short, the less he’d have to deal with his fucker of an Uncle for another 364 days (not counting engagements of course).

“I’m fine Uncle Andrew. How about you? Still hanging out with men who’s tastes include endangering people that could be your own flesh and blood?”

Uncle Andrew felt his blood boil slightly, gripping the arm rest of the chair he continued giving direct eye contact to his nephew.

Harry cocked his brow, remaining unbothered at his uncle’s attempts to get under his skin.

If he wanted to pass the mantle of resident anal hemorrhoid down to him, he had another thing coming.

Ending the conversation on disgustingly sweet note, Harry shook his uncle’s hand wishing him well for the New Year.

“I hope you have a great 2017. I’m sure you’ll be tied up in something that prevents you from being an active participant in the shady shit you usually do. Merry Christmas Uncle, may the present I got you suit your fancy.”

Also, if you’re wondering what Harry got his darling Uncle Andrew for his gag gift it’s scans of the documents from the court room revealing his “friend” was guilty of the accusation placed against him with the blind item. Merry Christmas indeed!

His uncle wasn’t getting off scot free this holiday season on the Prince of Wales’ watch.

Philip noted the tension between his band-aid baby and favorite grandson. Taking it upon himself, he opted to pull Harry aside and keep him company for a bit. This year’s been a bit hard on Harry with all of the changes going on, and the sinking feeling of being out of place. He related to all those internalized emotions well. Walking over to where Harry sat, he pardoned Andrew from his presence. He took a seat next to his grandson briefly watching William and Peter chuckling over some ridiculous story of how William took Kate out on a date in Toronto and accidentally ripped his pants on the way out. William had the talents of story telling like Edward, not entertaining or engaging at all. Moving on, he slipped Harry a ceramic cup filled with gin and ice cubes.

Leaning closer to him he whispered, “Ditch the shitty cider and drink the gin. Don’t worry about what your pa says, he can shove off for the night.”

Harry happily took sips of the liquor while Philip also slid him a cigar of his own.

Grandpa Philip is always a real one, forever Harry’s late-night Butter Pecan Brandy ice cream companion. Together, they started talking about his progress in Toronto. Harry expressed elation at reporting how his grades improved. Philip nodded in approval, continuing to take everything in. The young prince also mentioned how he called Charles once but he never heard from him again. The elderly blonde paused midway through listening and shot Charles a dirty look.

"So you're telling me the son of a bitch didn't even call you back!?"

"Nope! I waited for weeks and didn't hear shit. He calls William though."

"Damn that's rough. It really be like that sometimes Harry."

This old fucker was THIS close to be pushed off the side of Windsor Castle.

'IT REALLY BE LIKE THAT SOMETIMES' headass.

He loved Grandpa Philip though, don't get it twisted. The only person in this goddamned family besides Zara and when he's not in Kate's walls, William who pays attention to him.

"Did you at least TRY calling him though?"

"Grandpa for someone who's supposed to be on my side -"

"Harry, it's still a two-way street. I may have wanted to bash certain family members' heads into the wall, but I did call them back."

" Uncle Andrew?"

"Never make a baby when you're in a disagreement with your wife to try to fix things. It never works."

Damn!

Taking a walk outside with Philip, he was given a lighter to light his Cigar. The “men” continued their conversation under the illuminated sky. Harry felt his nerves relax as he continued taking puffs of his Cuban 1897 cigar. The topic changed from Toronto to how everything went down in spite of his absence. According to Philip, some of the staff were wondering where he went. They didn’t expect he’d be shipped overseas. All they assumed was that he was still at Eton, not with William. They also noted about how Mike Tindall was introduced to Anne about a week ago. Harry shook his head, concluding that overall, it’s been a slow news week for the royal family. It’s to be expected with how many inhabitants, and things that go on at once.

Following their talk, the men’s gin and cigars night ended. Everyone returned to their rooms to retire for the night. Taking advantage of the late-night free time, Harry checked his phone noticing Meghan’s text at the top of his notifications. She tried to facetime him, but he didn’t answer. Quickly making it into his room, he quickly removed his clothing going into the shower to rinse himself off. God, he smelled like gin, tobacco and Uncle Andrew’s musty breath. Changing into his night clothes, he plopped onto the bed grabbing his phone and finally reading Meghan’s message.

 _Merry Christmas Harry! Hope you’re having a fabulous day!_ _😊_

_Also, please excuse the facetime call, I accidentally butt dialed!_

Could she be anymore of the sweet person she is? Going against texting her back, he figured it’d be easier to facetime her. He wasn’t the best with writing her letters, but speaking is his specialty. Clicking the facetime button, he smushed his face into his pillow. The phone stopped ringing and Meghan’s bubbly voice could be heard. Harry lifted his head waving at his favorite star through the screen.

“Hey Sunny! Merry Christmas!”

Meghan blinked, “I don’t know who Sunny is but Merry Christmas!”

Harry chuckled, “Well congratulations Meghan, you’ve now discovered my nickname for you.”

“Aww, that’s so cute! I like it! How’s your Christmas going?”

“It’s been okay. I went to Church this morning and as of this evening, I ate dinner, spent time with family and am trying to not think about the aftertaste of Gin in my mouth.”

“Someone’s a strong drinker in their family huh?”

“Nah, I’m mid-range.” Harry you know that’s a goddamned lie. Your ass gets even a little tipsy, and you turn into a red-faced loon. That’s why you took baby sips of the gin tonight because you knew you’d fuck up if even a HINT of the tipsiness appeared on your face.

“Enough about me though, what did _you_ do Meghan?”

Meghan tucked one of her loose strands of hair behind her ear, “I spent the day with my mother, saw some of my friends and enjoyed every second of it.”

She always gave direct answers, leaving very little for him to ask about. Not that it bothered him, but he didn’t want to just talk about himself. He enjoyed listening to her stories about California and the things she did. Meghan had a way of explaining something in a manner which _draws you into_ her words. Maybe there’s something she didn’t feel comfortable explaining but justly, she had more stories to tell than he did.

“Did anything exciting happen?”

“Well, at the kitchen I talked to some of the women this afternoon. They told me about their experiences in Hollywood and how rough it was. Listening to them speak, I learned quite a bit about how long the hours were for movies. They also talked about the cut-throat environment for casting even the smallest of gigs like ‘ _Call Girl Number 7’_ in a clubbing scene. I even spoke to some people that told me about their lay offs from their jobs. THEIR JOBS HARRY! I’m used to hearing these things but it’s still heartbreaking to hear about them. Don’t even get me started on the ones who’ve lost their homes either.”

Harry looked around his room in Sandringham House. His mother always ensured he and William were aware of the kind of privilege they had compared to others. However, she never did it in a condescending manner. She opened his eyes at an early age of the struggles others faced but to not take way their humanity due to their situations. Princess Diana was the ‘People’s Princess’ and she lived up to the word until her last breath. Hearing Meghan speaking of her engagements with residents in her town at the kitchen, he felt a tightness in his throat. He hadn’t forgotten about his promise to himself to give back before he returned to Toronto, he’d even drag William with him. Harry eventually opened up to Meghan about his experiences working in kitchens himself.

He saw that ever so familiar twinkle in Meghan’s eyes and he told his story. Not even paying attention to the time, they continued talking into the night. Their topics went from community service to their differences versus similarities in their interests, and preparation for the next semester. Harry felt himself getting sleepier as the evening went on, but he didn’t want to sleep. He had to go hunting per tradition in the morning yet talking to Meghan this evening is the main priority. He couldn’t wait to be in Toronto again and talk like this in person. Call him crazy but he really got to loosen himself up when speaking to her. He’d say it repeatedly if it got the point across. Anyway, he knew this conversation would need to end. It’s 4:30 am at Sandringham and the family needs to be ready at 7:00 am sharp for the hunt. Fuck, he hated this so much.

“Meghan, what time is it at your place right now?”

“8:30pm. What’s the time where you are?”

“4:30 am.”

“The golden hour?”

“You could say that! I need to get ready to go to bed. Time flies when you’re in good conversation.”

“Definitely! Well I don’t want to keep you from your rest, so Goodnight!”

“Goodnight!”

Meghan went to click out of the facetime, but Harry told her to wait before doing so.

“Hmm? What’s wrong Harry?”

Harry paused taking in a deep breath, “I just miss you that’s all. I didn’t want to go before telling you. I know it’s cheesy!”

The freckled girl shook head, “No, no not at all! I miss you too! Our time spent before we went our separate was too short. When we get back, we should get together!”

Like hanging out? Hell, yes Meghan, he’d love nothing more than to do that!

He’d love to date you too but that’s another topic for a different time.

Running through his fingers through his hair he gave her a sleepy grin, “I’d like that too. We could catch up and I’d be able to give you your Christmas gift.”

Harry you were supposed to keep that quiet what the hell!? Well, it’s not as if she knows _what it IS per say_.

Meghan gave him a cheeky wink “Oh do you? I guess I’ll go ahead and spoil that there’s a few gifts for you waiting to be opened.”

She got him PRESENTS!?!! SHE! GOT! HENRY! CHARLES! ALBERT! DAVID! CHRISTMAS! PRESENTS! OH MY GOD!

The prince felt the tingle of excitement rush through his stomach and a blush paint itself onto his cheeks, “Why thank you lovely.”

He wasn’t sure if he heard it correctly, but Meghan giggled and told him, “You’re welcome dear!”

She rolled over on her bed, staring at the clock on her nightstand. It was 8:45 pm now, meaning Harry **NEEDED** to get his ass to sleep! 

“Harry, it’s probably 4:45am, you should go the fuck to sleep.”

Groaning he gave his future girlfriend a sad wave, “Goodnight Sunny! Talk to you later!”

“Goodnight Harry! See you soon! Sleep well!”

“You too!”

They waved one last time, and Meghan blew him a kiss. He swore he felt that kiss through the screen and smiled before turning his phone off. Setting his alarm to wake him at 6:00am, he prepared himself for the fuckery of getting up to hunt and having to stay awake. If he could exempt the tradition just for one year, he’d never do this shit again. The fuck was he even thinking try to stay up this late!? God, this is biting him in the ass. Pulling the cover on top of himself, he put his phone to charge and went to sleep. These few hours talking to Meghan weren’t ever coming back BUT he had to admit it’s worth the lack of sleep. Couldn’t even deny it one bit.

The ungodly hour of 6:00 am arrived just in time to drag the poor Prince out of his somewhat deep slumber. Shuffling towards the shower, he let the hot water burn his skin, causing him to awaken. In years prior to this, he often enjoyed the rush of waking up early to go hunting. This year, he didn’t particularly care for it. It became as routine as the Trooping engagement the family attended for Great-Granny’s birthday. Oh well, he needed to get dressed and make his way to where William and Charles were. Checking the time again, his iPhone showed 6:35 on the screen. He quickly got dressed and grabbed his rubbers in the hallway throwing them on. Dashing down the hall, he met up with his brother whom had a slice of toast with ham and jam for him.

“Thanks Wills!”

“No problem” taking a good look at Harry he sighed, “Bro you look like shit.”

“I know, but _sleeping in_ just isn’t a thing in our family remember?”

“That’s a **YOU** problem, this has nothing to do with me.”

“Shut the fuck up and let’s go.”

Biting into his brother’s makeshift breakfast for him, he felt himself continuing to gain his bearings. Together, the brothers met up with their father outside. Charles walked towards carrying two guns on his back. He took one look at Harry sighing, he didn’t even have to ask. Just looking at him, he knew his youngest son didn’t get enough sleep the night before. All he had to do now was countdown to Harry completely crashing 1:00pm. Choosing to let his son slide with the craziness of time zones, he handed them their guns. Lord be a mighty fence for today’s shoot. Please help the Prince of Wales with his exhausted son.

With the strength of the Lord by his side, Harry managed to get through the first half of the day’s shoot. Was it adrenaline keeping him awake? Surely. He forgot about most of his exhaustion when he focused his energy towards shooting the birds and deer. Slipping into his usual ritual, he’d get into his groove focusing on beating his previous record. William took note of this and worked twice as hard to beat his brother’s record. The two had quite a competitive streak with almost everything but hunting was the _peak_ of it. Harry barely even noticed they were taking score this year. He’s so out of it today, the only thing on his mind is crawling into bed.

Disabling his shot gun, he placed it in one of the holsters and took a seat by one of the tables. The dizzying spell of his exhaustion kicked in. God, if only the adrenaline he had earlier would stay a little longer. Come on body, kick into gear there’s still so much to do. He felt his body getting hot, and his eyes closed. William turned to see Harry slumped over in the chair. Running over, he put his hand on his forehead.

“107 degrees, he pushed himself and now he has a fever.”

Walking over to Tiggy, William had his brother carried off the hunting grounds and back to his room in Sandringham House.

A few hours later Harry woke up in his bed with Tiggy standing before him with a cool wash cloth in hand, and a glass of tea. He adjusted his sight to everything around the room. Trying to recollect on what happened earlier. All he remembered is going hunting that morning, then everything went black. Tiggy informed him of what took place and how he ran purely on adrenaline. She explained how William called for her to take him to his room. Charles also stopped by to check on him before continuing the rest of his hunt. Looking over towards his nightstand was a tray with a covered plate of food.

“I must have been really tired then huh?”

Tiggy checked his temperature, “Running on adrenaline is the worst thing you could do. Now eat your soup and get some sleep. William will check on your later.”

The ginger lazily waved his hand at his former nanny, “Thanks Tig!”

She waved back, quietly exiting the room.

“No problem Harry!”

Tiggy was always someone that truly stepped in for William and Harry when their mother died. Despite how Diana felt about the nannies in their lives, she always supported them. She gave him the encouragement he needed when he couldn’t confide in Camilla or Charles. No what went down with him, she’s always pushing him to do better. He’s a royal with responsibilities and duties but like his mother, she understood that he’s growing up in a fishbowl. Though it wasn’t mentioned before, he did keep her somewhat in the loop of his suspension and moving to Toronto. Tiggy didn’t judge him but she merely stated “You know what you need to do.”

Once he finished his soup, William peeked his head into the door. He usually isn’t the one to pop in so randomly but here he is. He quickly collected the tray, thermometer, and the used cup of water. Giving Harry another cool cloth for his forehead, the younger Windsor raised an eyebrow. This really wasn’t like William at all. Did something happen? Maybe he didn’t need to question it and just appreciate the kind gesture from his older sibling. Amid William collecting everything a package with blue wrapping paper was tossed onto his bed. The note on the side of the dinosaur covered ribbon clearly stated: _Merry Christmas Asshole!_

If this is another one of those fucking box inception gag gifts, he’d kick William’s ass sick or not.

Opening the gift, inside laid a card and a Chia Pet of President Barack Obama. Reading the card, it said:

 _Merry Christmas to my favorite snarky little asshole of a brother. This one of two gag Christmas gifts I’ve gotten for you. On the back of this note is the code for one of the safes downstairs near the kitchen. Also, if pay close attention it’ll have the specific number of the safe. Inside, you’ll find a box like this one but bigger in size. That will have your second present. I hope that these gifts suit your fancy. I have to say, it’s fun keeping up this competition to one up each other on gifts each year. Maybe I’ve finally won this time, but we’ll see._  
  
_I guess I love you or whatever that is,_  
  
_Wills_  
  
This fucker right here! He’s always playing these goddamn mind games. What did this headass think this was fucking SPEED starring Sandra Bullock!? Well, he couldn’t complain though. He IS the person that started this dumb competition between the two over each other’s gag gifts. From the time they were eight and ten, Harry decided to raise the stakes over their gift exchanges. Something in him just wanted the gags to be more exciting. Thus the pranks ensued and the gifts changed in tone once they both hit puberty. Now that Harry’s 17, the gifts are often times laced in jokes or something quite lewd between them. God knows thinking about how this year went with him getting suspended from school, ANYTHING could be used as leverage for his gift. If William seriously used his suspension as part of the gag he’d beat his ass with his bare hands on sight. Changed man or otherwise, he’d catch these hands!

Turning to the back of the note there were lyrics from Chamillionaire’s Hip Hop Police.

_With so much drama in the industry_

_Hip hop police are listening_

_Be careful or you'll be history_

_Looks like another unsolved mystery_

_It's murda, murda, murda_

_Ah, it's murda, murda, murda_

_Yeah, it's murda, murda, murda_

_Somebody tell 'em it's murda_

_Murder was the case and they blamed me_

Scanning the lyrics, he noted the numbers were next to each line. First line had the number seven. Next in middle of the first _it’s murda, murdra, murda_ line was the number twelve. Scrolling further down he saw: five. Seven, twelve and five. Whatever William had hiding he’d be sure to figure it out. Rubbing some Vicks under his nose, he wrapped himself in a blanket and walked towards the safe. The number for the locker was: 0070, a slightly off reference to his favorite action hero Bond, James Bond. Using the combination, he found the

he successfully opened the safe. Inhaling, he opened the safe and saw the bigger box and two other objects. Pulling them out, the bigger box had a maid’s outfit, with a blindfold. Digging further into the box, he revealed a collage made for him by the lads. The collage included pictures of them at the different parties they frequented, playing polo, and group photos of them goofing around. At the bottom it said: “MERRY CHRISTMAS HARRY!” What would he do without those guys? Reaching into the safe once more he removed the two objects that were left.

As he predicted, his brother gave him a broom and dust pan. On the ribbon that tied them together there was note scrawled on a piece of paper.

_Sometimes we see cracks in lives but that doesn’t mean we can’t work towards a new start._

_Here’s to a new start in 2017 and for you to clean the apartment you dick!_

_Best wishes,_

_William_

Harry shook his head looking at all his gifts. His brother was something else, and he outdid himself slightly this Christmas. Prince William of Wales still had quite the ways to go before he beat the master of gag gifts. Suddenly, he heard his brother scream as he opened his own gag gift from the master. He paused before slipping back into his room. Judging by William’s reaction he knew he’d be on his way over to either kill him or wonder what the actual fuck he got.. Some things are just better _left unknown_. Walking back to his room, another year of Christmas at Sandringham was completed. Five more days until the New Year, 2017.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obla Di Obla Dah is a song by the Beatles
> 
> Hip Hop Police is a song by Chamillionaire 
> 
> Also, the gag gift that Harry got William was essentially something really foul from a joke between the two of them. What it is will be up to the reader to imagine!


	16. Chapter 14 - Happy New Year !

Following the chaos of the New Year’s Party festivities, Harry and William were on their way back to Toronto. To summarize the party in quick words: Harry met up with his lads, thus causing their hardcore binge drinking and bowl smoking. No worries though, being the strong drinkers that they are no one was harmed in the night’s fun. Well almost, because Harry had his foot stuck in the toilet and Skippy had to pull him out. However, in the process they both slipped into the bath tub. From what Harry could remember, he probably kissed Skippy or made out with him? All he knows is that about 45 minutes into what they were doing, William walked in mortified at what he saw. Harry only recalled there being some heavy petting and possibly some love bites. He also reminisced on how Kate and William were amid some fun themselves. Either way, he wouldn’t have rung in 2017 without some chaos to start the year.

Did he even _cum_ with the way Skippy stroked him off? He cock awkwardly twitched at the thought of the night again. Note to self, don’t get that drunk to where you start heavily petting your closest buddy and jerking him in the bathtub of Highgrove ever again. He shook his head, trying to shift his thoughts to soften his cock. God, what the hell is going on? Stretching, he walked around his room staring at the box with Meghan’s gift inside. Today was January the 8th, originally, he was supposed to see her on January 5th, but she wouldn’t be coming in until this evening. Her flight got delayed due to a scheduling mix up at her university. The anxiousness of her getting the present and asking her out lingered in his mind. Deciding to focus on something else, he went outside to clear his head.

Scrolling through his phone, he looked through the photos from the party. My god, how wasted was he!? Based on the photographic evidence his night started out blazed and ended that way. He, Chelsy, Skippy, Guy and Ellie were recorded rapping to Rico Nasty’s Oreo. Harry danced around the room of the club, aggressively headbanging and eating takis. Funny because the typical person who’s high normally doesn’t do that. They’d mostly be chill and eating food, but Harry of course had to go the extra mile. Hence his other nickname besides Spike, Blazin’. Going deeper in his album, he saw photos of William looking fucked up and covered in a champagne pool. Good god, how much crazier did this night get anyway? Opening up the lad’s group chat, his eyes witnessed the onslaught of the overall chaos. Photos on top of photos and videos of everybody off the walls. He swore he saw one of his friend’s nipples – no wait that was him sucking Skippy’s nipples. Jesus fucking Christ, he really was gone as fuck.

If there were song lyrics to describe that night, one would use T.I.’s _Trap Muzik_.

Don’t question it, just use it for humorous intent to describe how crazy the party became.

_This a trap_

_This ain't no album_

_This ain't no game_

_This a trap (trap muzik)_

Harry took a swig of his ginger beer, letting the spicy soft drink burn his throat. He stared down outside at the courtyard of the campus apartment complex he lived in. This was the first time since he first moved in, that he really looked at it. From the moment he stepped foot into his apartment he didn’t have the chance to take in the sight as much. Sure, he went on that one outing with Meghan last semester, but it wasn’t enough. This semester he’s determined to take more trips and take himself out on dates to explore the area more. That way if he ever decides to invite the lads over, he knows all he hot spots they can crash ( ~~undetected of course)~~. Anyway, he needed to continue unpacking and get the apartment back to how it was before they left. William would be back any minute and lord knows he wasn’t ready to get bitched at for not dusting the tables. He froze in place slowly reminding himself for one billionth time that Meghan would be back in a few more hours. SHIT! He really needed to make sure everything didn't look like a Uhaul storage facility. Groaning he took out the dusters, vacuum, mop and pine sol. He started cleaning meticulously. Luckily, the music he had playing earlier connected via bluetooth to his Google Assistant and he was on his way to cleanliness. Besides, it's like his father would say:

"Henry, Henry, Henry, don't you know! Cleanliness is next to godliness. We as Windsor men pride ourselves on being meticulous with cleaning."

The _irony_ being that his dad never touched a vacuum in his life unlike his mother.

Oh well, we have to start, somewhere don't we? Don't even get him started on how he used to clean his room at Eton. He may have been the bottom of the class and smelled like Black and Mild cigarettes, but he kept his part of the dormitory, along with the bathroom **SPOTLESS**. He mopped around the floor using water and the lemon scented Pine Sol. If he recalled correctly, his mother said this was the best scent to use because bleach would make anyone walking in feel nauseous. Diana would be proud to see his son taking her advice in consideration. Gosh, he missed her so much. He constantly felt her everywhere while in Toronto. Before coming back, he took a private visit to her crypt. He left some flowers and briefly talked to her about everything. It took so much out of him, but he was glad to see her again despite how busy he'd been.

Letting the floor dry, he moved all of William's boxes into his room. He shoved them onto his brother's bed and placed some on the floor. God, how much shit did this man bring back? Counting, he totaled at least ten to fifteen boxes. All they did was leave or the month. The hell could all this shit be, that Wills needed so many boxes for? It had better not be a fucking Gundam set. The last time Charles bought him a build-your-own Gundam, William didn't even finish it. Not to mention, his father bought him the life size one. Harry winced remembering all of those annoying little pieces that would stab his feet like Legos. Jesus, please bless him with knowing that shit wasn't here in their Toronto home. Moving onto to setting the table, he swapped the old cloth to place a new one. It was the color blue with white and yellow beaded designs on it. He got it as a gift from the Prince of Lesotho. They remained pen pals despite Harry's suspension. Harry sent him, a blanket made of the coordinates of the African Kingdom. He didn't make it himself, but he found someone to help him with the making the design a reality.

Getting lost into his stupor, he didn't even notice his phone ringing until the lyrics of Natasha Bedingfield’s Pocketful of Sunshine came on.

_Meghan was here!_

Quickly, reaching over to his phone to call her back immediately, a blush appeared on his cheeks. Goddammit, he's such a mess when it comes to her. Hopefully this overdone reaction of turning into a puddle of goo would go away. Again, he wanted to compose himself to not turn into a walking pile of mush around her. Get it together Harry! **PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER HENRY CHARLES ALBERT DAVID, PRINCE OF WALES!** You've survived all sorts of odds, YOU CAN TALK TO MEGHAN AND NOT TURN INTO A BUMBLING IDIOT!

Maybe the author put too much faith in him, but I for one as the narrator believe he can pull through.

He just needs to breathe and let himself not his overflowing internalized emotions do the talking.

Making haste he answered the phone, he composed himself.

"Hello?"

"Harry! Hello! How was your flight?"

He smiled to himself, she always had a way of warming even the coldest of temperatures. If it was possible for someone to smile through the telephone, Meghan's the kind of person to do it.

"Eh, my flight was alright. How was yours? Are you back already?"

"Yes, I just got into Toronto. For some reason, I just felt the need to call you right away. Pretty silly huh?"

"Not even! I actually thought of calling you, but I figured you'd be tired from the flight and all of that."

"We're on the same wavelength."

"Apparently!"

The two chatted for a few minutes more while Meghan worked with her friends to get her luggage back to her apartment. The call briefly ended, but Meghan quickly texted him inviting him over. Funny that he sent his text inviting her to his place, but it didn't reach her until a few minutes after hers made it first. They’re in the same frame of mind but Meghan winds up being first with the gesture this time. To balance it out, Harry offered to help Meghan unpack since he basically finished his stuff hours ago. She happily agreed, and he made his way over in under ten minutes. With him, he brought her Christmas present in a yellow bag with mini suns plastered all over it. He rang the doorbell, anxiously waiting for her or someone else to answer the door. Remember those lyrics from Eminem’s Lose Yourself; “ _Palms are Sweaty, Arms like mom’s Spaghetti?”_ That’s how he felt in this very moment.

A few minutes passed and there was no answer. Harry decided he’d go back to his place, and within the seconds he turned the corner, a familiar face ran into him. Falling backwards onto the floor, he took a double take. He looked up and there she was! Meghan giggled extending her hand to help him up. What's with them crashing into each other at the most random of times? Blushing, he gave his friend a bashful smile.

"Well hello to you too" the cheeky Californian said, looking up at her clumsy friend.

"Hey! Welcome back! I missed you!"

Harry pulled Meghan into a hug, subconsciously spinning her around.

She happily reciprocates the gesture, feeling herself being spun.

"Is this how you greet all your friends?"

The prince leaned them over, he kissed her cheek.

"Maybe but I don't reveal all my secrets."

He gave her a mischievous wink, and she bit her lips together.

She missed him more than she thought. Hell, they missed each other a lot!

Adjusting themselves, Meghan motioned for them to enter the apartment, so they could start unpacking. Harry held the door for his tiny companion, waiting for her to unlock and enter first. She gave him one of her bubbly smiles thanking him for the kind gesture. Checking his surroundings, he remembered the box where her gift was, is in his coat pocket. The card was also there too. They entered the apartment together with all of Meghan's extra boxes. Together, they placed the boxes in her room and returned to the living room. The freckled beauty offered for the Ginger to make himself comfortable. Entering the kitchen, she grabbed two glasses filling them with sparkling cider, and cut two slices of pound cake. She placed the slices onto the saucer and put everything on a tray to carry into the living room.

"I have your present for you by the way" she motioned her head towards her room, "I'll go and get it in a moment."

Meghan placed the tray onto the coffee table, "Go ahead and eat I'll come back shortly."

Harry nodded, "No worries! Take your time and get whatever you need. I'm not going anywhere."

Gosh how could someone be so sweet?

Taking a deep breath, Meghan reached for Harry's present in the wrapped basket. Good lord this would go well or head south quickly. She hoped he'd understand her cheeky sense of humor. Maybe she shouldn't have gotten the latex gloves or the butt plug. Don't over think this Meghan. It'll all be fine, trust me. Harry has quite the dirty sense of humor and is used to these kinds of jokes. He loves gag gifts with some sort of lewd humor in it. Besides, it's the thought of the gag that counts anyway. She inhaled once more, also reaching for the card. Inside were her thoughts on her feelings towards him and she tried her hardest to express everything the best she could. She wasn't in love with him but the painfully obvious crush she had on him, that her mother noted was daunting.

Leaving the room, she reappeared in the living room, noticing that Harry had a card with a small box next to her plate of food. She felt some of her flutters going away slight. Deciding to make quite the remarkable entrance, she dutifully placed Harry's basket of goodies next to him. Then she took her seat next to him, indulging her slice of homemade pound cake. Harry looked over next to him and saw a medium sized blue gift basket with red and white ribbons tied at the top. On the side was a small flag of England peeking out. Damn, Meghan truly was the queen of gift presentation. All he did was put the card in a small silk bag and put her bracelets in a golden box with a sun wax stamp on top, wrapped with a ribbon. He really needed to step his game up.

"Merry Christmas! Happy New Year" they said happily in unison. Without a second thought, Harry leaned in to give Meghan the first kiss of the New Year. She gave his hand a squeeze, accepting the gesture of affection. Their kiss was quick, but they immediately gestured towards the other to open their gifts. Meghan went first eyeing the small gold box before her with the sack holding her card. She reached for the card first opening it to read the text.

"The happiest of holidays are shared with those who add onto the joy. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you. May the warmth of the holiday season bring you cheer like you did me this year. X, Harry!"

She gave his arm a loving squeeze, going to open the box. To her surprise while she knew it was jewelry from the sound, she wasn't expecting it to be what she saw. Harry motioned for her to read the note tucked into the bottom of the box. Reaching for it, she was stunned at the descriptions listed onto the card. Harry may not have always been the best with gifts for most people, but his mother taught him that when you buy a present for someone you like, make sure you take your time to present something of quality.

On the card it said:

_Merry Christmas Meghan! For your gift this year, these are three bracelets I worked to have hand made for you._

_Bracelet #1 - A custom designed bracelet matching mine which I had from Botswana. Just like mine, yours has your initial intertwined into the design._

_Bracelet # 2 - A custom designed bangle with your birthstone, the peridot. Since you like yellow-gold I made sure to keep the bangle simple show casing the two jewels._

_Bracelet #3 - A butterfly bracelet. I noticed again how you like pieces with unique designs on them. I based this bracelet for you on one my mother used to wear. When we were out shopping together a few weeks ago, I remember that you really looked at some pieces with butterflies on them and so I had this made._

_I hope that these bracelets are to your tastes._

_Happy Holidays Nutmeg!_

_X- Harry._

Meghan turned towards Harry, kissing his cheek. She didn't even have the words to express everything. He truly went out of his way to pick those beautiful pieces of jewelry out for her and have them custom made. Whatever she did, he must have been really touched somehow? Good things shouldn't be questioned Meghan, you know this. Just breathe and say thank you. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze understanding she was really surprised. Meghan gave him a warm smile, managing to tell him thank you.

"Thank you so much Harry, that's sweet!"

Harry flashed her a toothy grin, "You're welcome! I guess it's time for me to open mine then?"

She eagerly nudged him on to open his gift. Removing the ribbon, he went to work tearing up the wrapping paper and seeing what's inside. His eyes glanced over the covered boxes, unsure of which one to tackle first. Instead he decided to open the Christmas card and boy was he in for a surprise. Opening it, three Trojan condoms slid out of it. He tried to unsuccessfully stifle a laugh and chuckled, placing the condoms in his coat pocket.

"Looks like someone was looking out for my best interests! Thank you"

Meghan smirked at him, raising one of her eyebrows. He shook the envelope the card was in, seeing little packets of pretzel M&Ms coming out. Damn, she was really exposing the foodie in him because she had the American snack game on point! Holy shit! Little do you know Harry, there's more to come. LITTLE DO YOU KNOW! Reading the card, he grinned loving how she intertwined her calligraphy skills with what was pre-printed on the card.

What was written in the card, will be skipped for now as Harry has quite a bit to unpack with Meghan's gifts for him this year.

HO HO HO to Harry indeed!

Opening the first box, there was a handmade bracelet with his name woven into the blue material. The second box featured some more candy and snacks this time there were: Twizzlers, Oreos, Lays Potato Chips, Reese's peanut butter cups, Laffy Taffy and Swedish Fish. Is this a care package or a Christmas gift because Meghan really snapped when she put this together? The third box had two pairs of weed socks, one in black and one in green. Jesus Christ, how much cuter can she be with this stuff? Oh Harry, she's so cute you'd die.

Digging further into his basket of goodies he couldn't stop smiling. She really planned this down to a science. She gave him: snacks, condoms, weed socks and even more to find. The next gift was wrapped in blue paper, and when he unraveled it, to his total surprise there were latex gloves inside. WAIT was this the gag gift!?? His eyes went wide reading the box's description.

"Long Black Latex Fetish Gloves ...."

**LONG**

**BLACK**

**LATEX**

**FETISH**

**GLOVES**

"Made for fingering and fisting."

SHE - SHE - to accurately express Harry's reaction, he felt himself sweating at the back of his neck. His pants felt a little uncomfortable AND he couldn't believe his friend got him a gag gift of fisting gloves.

"You - you really got me -"

Meghan chuckled, "There's more where THAT came from."

OH MY GOD! SHE SAID THERE'S MORE **_WHERE THAT CAME FROM_**!?

WHAT!?

WHAT IS GOING ON!?

WHO IS THIS AND WHAT HAPPENED TO MEGHAN!?

Oh, Harry sweetie, you've got a storm coming! Looks like Meghan came prepared armed with some lewd goodies just for you. Guess your fisting jokes just became a reality. Mother of god what else could she have hidden in this basket of goodies and treats? WHAT ELSE IS IN THERE? Get to work and open up the rest of those presents Harry. Inquiring minds would like to know! Continuing through the rest of his treasure discovery, his hands touched another box. Opening it, he saw there was a glass butt plug inside of the box. Hold on, did he see what he thought he just viewed!? Pausing he briefly flashed back to his non-suspended days at Eton when Skippy introduced him to a rubber butt plug. He didn't hate them, but the rubber ones were always so uncomfortable. Focusing on the gift before him in the present, he sat there stunned. Turning towards Meghan he gave her a nervous smile. The blush on his face was evident of his clear enjoyment and shock of her unique choice of a Christmas present.

What else could she have given him in the last box? _Handcuffs_?!

Harry be careful what you joke about because you might just end up with it.

Removing the last box from the basket, he opened it, thus lo and behold his joking predictions were correct. A pair of silver handcuffs sparkled before him. To merely claim that Harry met his mischievous match is merely an understatement. Harry _TRULY_ faced his equal in gag gift giving. Never did he expect Meghan would be the person to up the stakes. It had always been William, but Ms. Markle came in a league of her own. I don’t even think she realized the implications of what she had done. Had the undefeated King finally faced defeat?

All jokes aside, he completely appreciated the thought and creativity for the gifts she gave him for Christmas. Someone who would throw in some condoms and sex toys for fun is the kind of person he wanted to be around. It showed her fun and playful side, giving her even more depth into the kind of person she was. Now hear him out, it’s not specifically _what_ kind of gifts you get but the _thought_ behind them. It wasn’t just that though, she always found a way to add onto the reasons why he liked her so much. From the moment they met he had a great feeling about her. She drew him in the more they talked together and connected. It’s now or never at this point. He needed to face his feelings and ask her out. This was the perfect time to do it.

He gave Meghan a warm squeeze, continuing to reel his head around the shock from the sex toy gifts.

“Meghan you really took the gag gifts to a new level!”

“Too much?”

The ginger reassured the girl giving her a kiss on the cheek, “I love it!”

_Like you like her? Come on Harry, get on with it! Ask her out, don’t let this moment go to waste._

He took a breath, taking her hands into his, eyes looking into hers. She gave him direct eye contact, trying to read his emotions. Meghan sensed emotions of nervousness, and a fondness radiating from his icy blue irises. A piercing silence filled the room as Harry tried to find the words to state all he felt. God, why was this so hard? Just SPIT IT OUT! A few minutes passed while the prince continued having his internal battle with himself. Harry you need to get it together and TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL!

_GET A GRIP AND FUCKNG TALK –_

_“Meghan, will you go out with me?”_

_Harry felt his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach after realizing how he completely spit that out._

_Trying to turn away unsuccessfully, Meghan moved his face back to her direction._

_“Yes, I’d like to.”_

_This couldn’t be real. There’s no way she said yes after he spent about ten minutes trying to get himself together and – oh my god she’s really his girlfriend._

_SHE SAID YES!_

_SHE_

_SAID_

_YES!_

** Reality ....  **

Snapping himself out of his awkward daydream, Harry realized he was sitting across from Meghan staring into space. He decided to not go down that awkward route and actually express himself this time. Turning towards her, he took a breath preparing himself to truly say what he needed to. Harry, you've got this!

"Meghan, I've been thinking about this for a while. I like you a lot and I was wondering if you'd like to take the next step with me, you know like go out."

"So, a date or an actual relationship?"

Harry

"Both."

" You're asking the right questions because I feel the same way. I'd like to go out with you too."

"It's a yes?"

"Yes."

The blooming couple gave each other a hug and a quick kiss.

"Looks like we'll be sharing more kisses now hmm?"

"I'd hope so!"

Now, all that had to be done is to plan their date. Between the two Harry, offered to take the lead. He knew Meghan had that kind of mindset of planning and was very meticulous with how she wanted things. However, considering he did ask her out it only made sense he did the planning. Plus, he could make it into a surprise too. Oh god, that'd be a little hard though considering the foodie in Meghan has probably eaten everywhere. BUT that wasn't going to stop from him figuring out what he could do. It made him excited to use Toronto as his "playground" for finding new places to eat. When he was in England, he'd typically snap his fingers and all the options were at his fingers. Not that he didn't look for places himself, it's just with being a prince he had everything at his disposal. In this case, he could easily work to find a place of his liking without the advantages he once had. He couldn't lie and say he didn't miss it but having this time to be "normal" felt good. With his new girlfriend at his side, this would be smooth sailing. He could continue to keep his Princely identity under wraps, right? It's not like he'd need it while he's here.

RIGHT?

He didn't have to think about that right now. All that mattered was that he and Meghan moved towards the next step. Happiness wasn't even the word that could be used for how light hearted he felt. He wanted to make sure that everything was perfect. Looking over at her small frame, he pulled her into a hug picking her up. He sat her on the counter. She raised her eyebrow, watching him place his hands on the cool counter's surface. He leaned in initiating another kiss. He hummed against her lips, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck. His hands rested on her hips while he brushed his mouth against hers sweetly. The electrifying feeling they shared when they kissed for the first-time during Friendsgiving returned. Everything just felt right. He continued leading the way, pressing kisses across her face, stopping at her neck. The silly side of himself came out as he nudged her neck with his cold nose, before kissing her on her nape. Working his way back up, he gave her two quick kisses. Pulling away, he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Sorry, I just couldn't believe this was real."

Meghan bit his bottom lip, giving him a peck.

"Is that real enough for you?"

"Maybe."

"You know when we have our first date, I could just carry you."

The freckled cutie threw him a confused look, "What?!"

Harry laughed, "Because you're so small Sunny!"

"Oh god, please don't start. You're not going to call me - "

"Polly Pocket? Tinkerbell? Tiny? Fairy? Little Sprite?"

Meghan rolled her eyes, oh god she wouldn't be able to escape this would she?

Harry rested his chin on top of her head, "It'll be okay Itty Bitty -"

"ITTY BITTY!?! Watch it giant leprechaun!"

The ginger gasped, "Leprechaun !?"

"Carrot Top? Archie Andrews? Carrot Cake? Slim Jim? Green Giant?"

The brit stared in confusion, "Okay now I'm lost."

"I'm not the best with nicknames."

"That's okay Poppy, I've got the nicknames covered."

"How many do you have for me anyway?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out. However as for now, whatever I've called you those are your nicknames."

"POLLY POCKET !!!?"

His royal highness of mischief, nicknames and all sorts of mess stuck his tongue out at his new girlfriend. He usually never showered anyone with nicknames besides William and the lads. However, seeing as Meghan was the sunshine of his life and the sun truly shined out of her ass she became the exception. Hell, one would call her the magnum opus of her nickname dropping. Meghan if you think it's like this now just WAIT until you all get further into your relationship, you'll have so many.

I think this might be the time to consider keeping count at this point.

Whew, Meghan sweetie, you're going to have your hands full. Get ready!  
  
Sunny turned towards her Ginger sucking her teeth, "You're still thinking about carrying me on our first date, aren't you?"

Ginger cocked his head to the side, "Actually I was considering carrying you somewhere else?"

"And where might that be?"

Within seconds of her asking, Harry lifted Meghan over his shoulder, playfully tossing her onto the sofa.

"Right here."

She blinked at him, "Is that all?"

He leaned over her, " I think?"

Sunny whacked Harry with a pillow, "You need to figure out what you're doing!"

They laughed, getting into a pillow fight. Harry was surely defeated and tickled to death of course. The lovebirds cuddled onto the sofa, staring at the ceiling. It still hadn't sunk in that they're together. How in the hell were they here? This was only beginning of a quite a journey to come. 2017 started out with a new adventure between them. This was theirs, theirs alone. Looking over at Harry, Meghan smiled lacing her hand with his. They hadn't even had their first date but something about their energy together just felt so natural. She couldn't even put her finger on it but it excited her.

_I got that tunnel vision for you_

_I got that tunnel vision for you_

_I got, I got that tunnel vision for you_

_I got, I got that tunnel vision_

_I only see you_

_I got that tunnel vision for you_

_I got that tunnel vision for you_

_I got, I got that tunnel vision for you_

_I got, I got that tunnel vision_

_I only see you_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs: 
> 
> T.I. - Trap Muzik 
> 
> Eminem - Lose Yourself 
> 
> Justin Timberlake - Tunnel Vision


	17. Chapter 15 - Boo'd Up

Roughly two weeks passed since Harry asked Meghan to be his girlfriend. While, he was happy that she’s his beau he felt he needed to do it right. The way he asked her simply felt rushed. However, these past two weeks have felt unreal. They resumed their work at the kitchen like normal and before leaving, they’d share a hug or a kiss in private. Another habit they had was setting up a private chat for their meme and photographic shenanigans. While Snapchat seemed ideal, they preferred to use WhatsApp instead. They could use the stickers application attached to it to make expressive stickers of themselves. Harry especially loved it because they could also FaceTime each other and it wouldn’t cost a thing.

He still couldn’t believe time had flown by so quickly. Sitting in the waiting area in front of his therapist’s office, he pondered about where he’d take Meghan for their first date. He also had to ensure he kept everything under wraps, so it would be a surprise. As he contemplated before, he wanted this to be perfect. His previous history of first dates with girls generally went well but this is _Meghan_ he’s doing it for. He can’t just simply take her to dinner and call it a night. This needed to be something thoughtful. Man, when he realized he dated Meghan he truly didn’t realize exactly how much he needed to step up his game. Damn, he really used to do the bare minimum due to his status. Yet, in this case he refused to use his status as a Prince to leverage certain aspects of dating her. He had to be genuine in his efforts and they had to be done _solely through him_  or when necessary, with the help of others.

Dr. Sirmon’s secretary walked over to where Harry was sitting. She informed him that the doctor would be ready to see him now. So much occurred over the Christmas holiday. What could he talk about with him? Not about the drunken high on New Year’s Eve. Perhaps about his overall ambiance of his time with his family after being gone for two months? It’s not like anything truly changed. The Windsors are a consistent mess of matriarchal dynamics running on 400 years of wealth and prestige. What’s there to talk about if he’s being honest? How Great-Grandmother Lilly-Beth passed away? Grand-Aunt Margot’s alcoholism? Uncle Andrew’s blatant ignorance? Netflix truly struck gold creating the historical drama _The Crown_ while certain members of his family were still alive. He had to find at least something, anything to discuss with his therapist.

“Harry, Dr. Sirmons is ready to see you now!”

Focusing in the present, Harry entered the room quietly. He placed his gloves into the coat pockets and politely greeted the doctor. Giving a professional smile, he shook the doctor’s hand wishing a Happy New Year. Remember Harry, you don’t have to force yourself into talking about anything you’re not comfortable with. This is just part of your progress while you sort things out in your own life. You’ll be fine, breathe and pace yourself. There’s no need to make this difficult. Taking a seat in the chair before him, his hands folded themselves in place on his lap. His eyes wandered around the room, trying to see if anything in the office changed. Judging by the bland almond colored walls, strategically crooked painting of a flower hanging above Dr. Sirmon’s head, nothing. Even the window with little bamboo plants still looked as it did before the holiday. Wait, were the plants dying from the cold weather or lack of atten –

“Judging by your facial expression Harry, I can sense your concern if anything has changed around the room, right?”

Harry nodded, “Yeah! It’s been a while since I’ve been here” he continued “If you don’t mind me asking, are the plants still alive?”

“Yes, I ensured that my secretary kept them alive since she generally works through the Christmas holiday.”

_She works through the holiday? Interesting._

“That’s great to hear the plants are fine. How was your holiday?”

Dr. Sirmons remained stoic in his responses, “Fine. However, I should be asking you these questions.”

Dammit! Just answer his question, please don’t turn this into a questioning session. Please DON’T –

“Harry, how was your holiday? Can you tell me of anything you noticed in your interactions with your family?”

_SON OF A BITCH!_

Well Harry, go ahead with your explanation. There’s no turning back now.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Harry calculated his response momentarily before answering.

“My holiday overall could be described as being decent” he paused stringing his words together carefully, “I got to spend time with my grandfather, father and brother. I also saw my friends and got my holiday shopping done.”

He thought back to Sandringham momentarily, picturing Zara joking with him as she always did.

“In my family, we tend to things together as a group. Some parts are split between the men and women or by age. Since I’m older now, I had the chance to join my immediate family and extended members in the annual gin and cigars night. To put it in appropriate terms ‘Men’s Night In’.”

Harry immediately noticed Dr. Sirmon’s inquisitive expression towards the ‘Gin and Cigars night.”

“In case you’re wondering, yes I did drink a little. I just don’t like cigars; the taste is shitty.”

His therapist chucked, “That’s because you have to adapt to the taste. Overall, it’s an acquired habit; not everyone enjoys the scent or touch of smoking cigars. I don’t either.”

The gentlemen shared a laugh before the conversation resumed to its serious tone.

“Now, to answer your question about the overall family dynamics; I’d say because we’re so big sometimes I do feel smothered. However, I tend to stick with my cousins that are closest to my age. When I’m around them I tend to come out of my shell more.”

Dr. Sirmons nodded, taking in the acute observation of his Harry’s slightly relaxed body language.

“You seem like someone with a lot of personality. How does it feel when you come out of that shell Harry?”

“I feel like how I did as a child. Around my friends and most people, I’m very humorous and quick witted. Some could even tell you that I’m the craziest person they know. Being able to laugh and make someone else smile is satisfying to me. I still show it but with the loss of my mother having been so recent, it’s hard sometimes to get into that mood.”

“You’re still grieving.”

“Yes.”

“Things like that take time. During the holidays, was it difficult without your mother around?”

“There was a gaping hole that I tried to push away. I managed to cover it with “tape”, but I felt her absence everywhere I went. Everything still feels so raw; you’re the first person I’m talking to about this. Even when I’m here I think of her often. I always heard that when you get into your routine you eventually move on, but I sense her presence constantly.”

“Specifically, here in Toronto?”

 “Yes, when I was little . . .” Harry froze, he was talking to someone about his mother. All this time he kept his thoughts to himself, he broke his silence admitting he felt these emotions to someone. He felt his throat tighten while he fought the incoming tears. Slowly inhaling he stared at the bobble head of Lady Gaga on his therapist’s desk. He took his time analyzing the colors on the object; red, white, blue, black, cream and yellow. Glancing over the figure’s material he assumed it’s plastic like those Funko Pops he’d see at the store. Counting backwards, he gripped the arm rest of the chair waiting for his thoughts to flood his consciousness.

“If you don’t want to tell me, don’t force yourself. Harry, if this is too much let’s end it here.”

Harry nodded, continuing his breathing exercises, feeling the numb feeling take over.

Dr. Sirmons walked over to Harry’s chair giving him direct eye contact.

 “You’re going to be okay. You’ll get through this.”

Nodding, Harry observed his therapist returning to his desk, quickly writing down notes into his portfolio on him. He briefly noticed the date and certain words such as “shutting down”, “clenching the arm rest” and “breathing heavily” filling up the page. He ran his fingers through his hair trying to collect himself before calling William. Glancing at the time on his iPhone it said: 6:30pm. Will’s History and Examination of Da Vinci’s Paintings would be finished at 9:00pm. Bidding Dr. Sirmons a good day, he made haste to exit the office. Calling his body guard Chains, he informed him his session was over. Within the time he called, his body guard quickly arrived to pick him up.

During the ride home, Harry decided to distract himself from the brief lapse he had by thinking about his upcoming first date with Meghan. While at the kitchen today, he tried to drop hints to Meghan about where she wanted to go. He listened closely to her thoughts trying to think of key words to google when he returned ‘home’. ~~Yes, he called his apartment in Toronto, the “H” word.~~ From what he gathered in his conversation she said things such as having an interest in a dog café or local events. She especially took the liberty of indirectly stressing how she was a foodie. How could he have not known this when she took him to eat Korean barbeque, invited him to her Friendsgiving dinner and brought Peach Cream Soda Flavored Soju to the flat?

A grin fashioned itself on his face. Maybe he could swap the Korean cuisine for something else?

Whatever he could string together, he was determined to keep it quiet and completely a surprise. The feeling of keeping her on her toes excited him. He never used to do surprises often unless it was for his lads or his mother. No scratch that, he helped William plan Kate’s surprise 20th birthday party. Though he may be young, his youth gave him an advantage. He managed to keep everything under wraps. The murder mystery party turned out to be a hit! Kate ~~made one of her weird faces but~~ expressed her contentment with the gesture. Harry still didn’t get how she and William clicked so well but if she made him happy so be it.

This energy he had for helping with that event, motivated him to do his best for Meghan. Not to mention that lingering feeling he had of considering he wanted to ask he out again, properly. It kept, _poignantly_ making itself a fixture in his mind. Don’t overexert yourself Harry, just let these things come naturally. The last time you overdid trying to do something perfectly you nearly snapped during it. Let’s not forget how you clenched up so badly you had to be taken from the project to calm down. Your Virgo perfectionist attitude needs to tone it down. Work towards your overall goal in mere increments. PACE YOURSELF!

The next day January 22nd, 2017 ….

Harry woke up to the sound of his alarm blasting Evanescence’s _Call Me When You’re Sober_. Yawning, he looked at his calendar seeing it was Saturday. Perfect! He could take the day to explore the city on his own and figure out what places he’d take Meghan. Picking up his phone he checked his messages. 500 messages in the “Dick Squad” chat, about 10 from his brother, and none from everyone else. Opting out of checking the 500+ messages his friends back home were on about, he investigated William’s instead. Scrolling through he saw choppy messages telling him it’s his turn to cook today and to get some good earplugs or get out because Kate’s spending the night.

 _Jesus Christ,_ he needed to figure out what the fuck he’d do for the evening.

It’s times like these he truly wished his friends were around. Of course, he enjoyed Meghan’s company, but he didn’t want to smother her either. Guess it was time for him to meet some new people. At some point he should invite the lads to come over to visit. In London, everything was easier since most of his friends attended the same school. All the others he met through family friends, he’d hang out with them on the Polo pitches. He sighed, maybe another day he’ll speak to his clique about inviting them over. He still had to talk to William about it, he doubt he’d care but considering how this apartment was an Amazon box compared to the Kensington Palace estate or even Highgrove back home, this’d be a culture shock.

Where could he go first? Opening Chrome on his phone, he googled places he could visit on a Saturday.

Approximately 30 minutes later in the city …...

Harry made his first stop at one of the coffee shops. Taking his seat at a single booth, he stared at the menu trying to decide the kind he wanted. In typical Prince Harry fashion, he opened his phone continuing to think of places to take Meghan. Opening his Google Docs application, he added this coffee shop to the list. Returning his attention to his menu, he decided to order a Café Au Lait and a cream cheese Danish. After placing his order, he returned to the table recalling things Meghan said she liked. Pretty soon the ideas he had for places to visit started to flood into his mind.

He opened his glanced over his Google document of the list he compiled based on the things he told her:

_ Things Meghan Likes  _

_Pet Cafes_

_Movies out on the Lawn/Drive-In Movies_

_Dining at various restaurants_

_Doing Yoga_

_Going to the Spa_

_Painting Art_

_Shopping_

_Visiting Museums/Art Galleries_

_Partying_ _😊_

_Traveling_

_Humanitarian Works_

_Watching theatrical shows_

_Trying new things_

_Wine Tours_

There were so many things to choose from (some of which weren’t even on the list). While he wanted to take Meghan wine tasting he knew that would put him in the news and blow his cover in Toronto. He immediately scratched that from the list and decided to put that off for another time. Continuing to process his thoughts, he pulled up google maps looking at all the locations closest to where he is. The map gave him several results of restaurants, shops, social meeting spots and places for fun activities. The gears in his head started churning as he thought of places and things to do for the first date.

Five days later ……

Harry stood in front of his mirror, checking his outfit nitpicking at any flaws in sight. He had his hair trimmed and styled into an underside fade with a coif atop his head. His outfit of choice for this evening festivities; a grey button-down shirt, the woven blue bracelet Meghan made him, a pair of distressed jeans and burgundy vans. To top it off, he put on his duffle coat with mittens inside. Tonight’s the night, he’s taking his girl out on the town. As cliché as it sounds, his excitement could barely be contained. His royal highness couldn’t stop grinning ear to ear while he quickly texted Meghan letting him know he’s on his way. All that planning he did throughout the week undetected lead to this day. He still couldn’t believe he worked everything out himself. Usually when he was back home, he’d ask his body guards to take care of the reservations and the planning. This time, he put his own initiative into planning this night for he and his girlfriend.

Tonight, was going to be _perfect_. His phone buzzed with a pop from Meghan notifying him, she was ready. Grabbing the flowers, he bought for her from the store, he briskly exited his apartment.

_Let’s tonight’s fun begin!_

Talking the brief walk and elevator ride to her apartment, he took deep breaths. Harry, you’ve been on several first dates before. This isn’t going to be difficult. Just go with the flow and have fun. _Everything will fall into place like its supposed to_. With a few cracks of his joints, wiggles and the pep in his step his excitement worked away at his nerves. Besides, he had to remember dates like these would the norm for him now. He didn’t have to do anything overly extravagant because of his wealth or title. He isn’t Prince Harry currently, he’s _just_ Harry Wales. His body gradually relaxed while he turned down the hallway. The bouquet of Daffodils gave him a sense of luck.

Ringing the doorbell of Meghan’s apartment, he inhaled once more waiting for her to answer.

He heard some footsteps, and the opening of locks.

“Hey there Weasley! You’re here for Meg, aren’t you?”

Straightening up he blinked in Priyanka's direction giving her small wave.

"Hey Priyanka! Yes."

She invited him inside, having him take a seat onto the couch.

"Hold on, I'll let her know you're here!"

Within seconds of him sitting down he heard Priyanka yelling at Meghan to get her ass out here since she has a guest. Harry chuckled, she surely was something else. He cradled his hands into his lap while quietly waiting. A few more minutes passed, and the prince slightly slumped against the sofa. Patience Harry, you've been through this before with your mother when she went out for royal engagements. Light footsteps were in his range of hearing and there she was, Miss Meghan herself.

Standing up, he turned in her direction, greeting her happily with the flowers.

"Hey beautiful! Ready to go?"

She smiled taking the flowers, "Yes! Aww thank you for the Daffodils!"

"You're welcome!"

The newly formed couple gave each other a quick hug before Meghan returned to her room to grab her coat and purse.

Together, strolled out of the apartment hand in hand.

Priyanka peeked her head out the door yelling, "BYE LOVEBIRDS !!!"

Oh Priyanka, girl you haven’t seen anything yet, believe that!

The couple made their way outside of the apartment, where a taxi waited for them to arrive. Harry planned for the driver (who was his personal bodyguard) to drop them off at the restaurant he'd chosen for dinner and pick them up at the last location of their date. The excitement of the date overall made him giddy. Sliding into the backseat, the peas in a pod bundled up together, keeping each other warm.

"So, what exactly do you have in store Harry?"

Harry kissed Meghan's ungloved hand, "That's for me to know and for you to find out."

The freckled girl cocked her head to the side, "Is that so?"

The prince leaned in, kissing her teasingly "Mm!"

"Are there kisses involved in this surprise?"

He gave her another two kisses, " Mm! Maybe."

She reciprocated the kisses, "You're not cracking, are you?"

Giving her one more kiss and a lip bite, he winked at her.

"Nope!"

After a 15-minute car ride, the couple made it to their first destination. Trying to keep up with the sake of surprises, Harry put a blindfold over Meghan's eyes. Meghan expressed a sense of confusion, but he reassured her that it was part of the surprise. She nodded, letting him guide her around until it was for her to take the blindfold off. From what she could sense, they were entering a building with people speaking Italian. She knew it was a restaurant but where were they going? Listening carefully, she could tell that people were cooking by the sounds of the seasonings and meats sizzling in pans. Taking off the blindfold, Harry introduced her to the first part of their date.

"Surprise!"

In front of her was the head chef, eagerly awaiting to welcome the couple into the restaurant

"Hello! Welcome to the Tortellini’s Eatery! We’ve been waiting for you!”

Meghan smiled as the chef guided her and her date through the kitchen. One of the chefs handed the couple a sample of the Tiramisu with raspberry sauce drizzled on top. They tried it, marveling at it’s sweet taste. Walking around each station of the kitchen, they were offered samples of the different cuts of meat, fresh vegetables, and pasta. Afterwards, they were escorted to a private booth. Sitting close together, they were given menus and a sampling of the in-house apple cider. Flipping through their menus, they talked discussions observations of what they saw. Meghan tried to casually get Harry to reveal even a little about what else was to come. Normally, she wasn’t like this at all and went with the flow, but her excitement made her a little eager.

“Someone’s really eager to know what else on the agenda huh?”

Harry gave her a flirtatious smirk, taking a slow sip of his cider.

“I mean I’m not **THAT** eager, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say the suspense was killing me.”

The prince smiled in her direction, “You’ll see when it happens.”

Meghan chewed the inside of her lip, “Alright!”

Their waiter from before appeared at the table again, asking if they wanted anything to eat for their dinner. Together, the couple decided to try the shrimp and lobster alfredo pasta with a garden salad on the side. While pasta wasn’t exactly the lightest thing on the menu, at least it’d satisfy their hunger before they went ice skating. He was a little worried that maybe he went over the top picking this restaurant. It’s their first date, it shouldn’t be _this_ elaborate should it? His expression of concern lingering onto his face. Meghan took note of his uneasiness, linking her fingers with his. She decided to start up a conversation about something else.

“This restaurant is beautiful! Getting to walk through the kitchen is quite the treat!”

Harry nodded, feeling at ease, “Definitely! When I was trying to pick a restaurant for us, I got a recommendation from one of the ladies at the kitchen. They said that this restaurant is a hot spot for newbies in the city. As soon as I visited here and took the tour by myself, I was in awe.”

He saw her face animate itself into one of her beautiful smiles.

“I’ve been to many restaurants but not one like this, thank you!”

“You’re welcome.”

Once their meal arrived, they ate in a comfortable semi-silence. Taking breaks in between chews, they discussed their restaurant experiences with different cuisine in their travels. Harry vaguely discussed how in his family, they often got the perks of not even have to wait in the queue like everyone else. He described his experiences as anything but normal. Thinking of his trip to South Africa with his father, he talked about some of his favorite dishes. Feeling himself relax as he continued explaining his trip, he reminisced on how he swindled one of the waiters to get him to try a cigar. Unfortunately, he succeeded and paid the price with the god-awful taste lingering in his mouth.

Meghan giggled taking in the story with fascination.  
  
“You _really_ scammed a waiter to give an _underaged_ 12-year-old Harry a cigar? You’ve got some guts!”  
  
Harry wriggled his brows, “You’ve never seen me at my finest. According to my father I’m the craziest fucker since my Uncle Andrew that he’s ever met in his life!”

You aren’t lying Henry, considering your track record pre-Meghan you’ve lived at least nine lives like Bobby Brown. It’s _your prerogative_! Ba-dump tis!

Meghan explained her experiences with dining. From her perspective, her mother never shied away from introducing her to varied cuisine. It didn’t matter if they were traveling to Mexico, Jamaica or even strolling through their Californian neighborhood. Her mom ensured her taste buds learned about the marriages of seasonings. She especially had family recipes from both sides of the family she could pull from. Since she was small, she consistently thrived in the kitchen. From indulging in cookbooks, to creating her own dishes she always felt a level of satisfaction with trying and experiencing new foods.

“It’s like my mama _always_ says, ‘Flower, Sometimes the best food comes from the most unexpected places. Never judge an establishment by its cover, unless it’s inspection grade is below a 95.’”

They laughed, relishing in Ms. Doria’s unintended humor laced with seriousness.

“Your mom isn’t wrong about that all! She sounds like a fun person to dine with.”

Meghan jokingly scrunched up her face, “Until she shades the food without hesitation.”

“It’s always sunny in California!”

Harry watched his girlfriend chuckling behind her hand as she finished her plate of seafood pasta.

_Ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up_

_Hear my heart go ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, it just won't stop, it go_

_Ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up_

Once they finished their meal, Harry took Meghan’s hand exiting the restaurant eagerly heading towards their next destination. Their walk down the streets was filled with a warmth that could defrost Toronto’s temperatures. Embracing each other even more, they wound up walking together in a halfway hug. Meghan glanced over at him, feeling her cheeks warm once more. These feelings she had for him weren’t a dream. From the moment she met him, a sense of ease around him made him approachable. His resting bitch face didn’t jerk her away. He had a way of making her laugh and his thoughtfulness in all aspect made him attractive. His cute baby face was the icing on top of course. _Biddy-da-dum boo’d up, biddy-da-dum boo’d up_ was the best way to express how she felt in the moment.

She felt that familiar heart-skipping feeling she had when they ran errands together last November.

_Ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up_

Arriving at the ice-skating rink, Harry playfully nudged Meghan.

“This is the second part of our date! I usually go skiing but ice skating was the closest I could get to something wintery we could do!”

Meghan nodded, she was more of a roller-skating kind of gal, but she had no qualms about putting those blades onto the ice. She quickly put her ice skates on waiting for her boyfriend to get his together. Harry being the professional skier he was, wanted to at least incorporate something fun they could do to warm up before heading home. From the minute their skates hit the ice they went into full “athleticism” mode or so they thought. Harry wasted no time managing to fall onto his ass. Meghan remained stable and slowly skated around while he held onto her arm. Eventually gaining balance, they started to skate at a steady pace.

_Feelings, so deep in my feelings_

_No, this ain't really like me_

_Can't control my anxiety_

_Feeling, like I'm touching the ceiling_

_When I'm with you I can't breathe_

_Boy, you do something to me_

Harry being the bright young man he is decided to skate a little faster. Letting of Meghan’s hands, he tried to do a simple figure eight. Should be pretty easy right? If he could ski and do other sports, there’s no way he could fuck this up. This was Prince Harry, Harry Wales top athlete of Eton College. There’s nothing he couldn’t do when it came to sports. Well, unfortunately every great athlete Olympian or otherwise, has an Achilles heel. His conveniently exposed itself when he fell over onto the ice with a hard smack! His ass planted itself onto the cold surface. He shivered quickly trying to recover from his fall. Meghan skated over to him, looking worried but she helped him up.

“Oh my gosh! Are you okay?”

Harry held onto her hands laughing at his error, “I’ll be fine! My ass hurts though!”

“Aww, poor baby!”

They did one more lap around the skating rink before they decided to call it a night. Harry’s sore ass was too numb to continue going. Taking off their skates, they put their regular shoes back on and waited for their taxi to take them back to the apartments. Huddling together, Meghan bought them cups of hot chocolate to help warm them up. Sitting on the bench outside of the skating facility they sipped on their chocolate drink and chatted away once more. How they managed to find new things to talk about, amazed them both. Fifteen minutes passed and Muffin pulled up ready to take them back to the complex.

_Ooh, now I'll never get over you until I find something new_

_That get me high like you do, yeah yeah_

_Ooh, now I'll never get over you until I find something new_

_That get me high like you do_

Settling into the car, they slumped over feeling the effects of the pasta and the ice skating overcoming them. Harry felt himself almost falling asleep, but he fought to stay awake. Meghan drifted off the sleep taking a little nap on the way home. A smile graced her beautiful features, emitting a glow of satisfaction and happiness from tonight. Harry’s heart skipped a beat, relieved that she had a great time with him. This was only the start of more to come. In the back of his mind, the thought of how he would eventually tell her he’s a prince lingered. It was still too early to think about, but he recalled William’s words.

Flashback ..

_“Harry, you need to tell her about how you’re a Prince. Why is this so difficult for you?”_

_“It’s not difficult Wills! I’ll just do it later.”_

_“You and I both know you’d just put if off.”_

_“You’re seriously assuming I’d do such a disservice to a girl I like a lot?”_

_“Harry, this is YOU we’re talking about. I know you’re trying to do things differently for Meghan but trust me bro, the first step is telling who you really are.”_

_“Maybe I like being just Harry Wales.”_

_William sighed, arguing with Harry was like trying to skin a cat alive. Sighing, he reminded himself this wasn’t his problem._

_“Suit yourself, but just know this is my only warning. You better get on it.”_

Present Day …

Harry snapped himself out of stupor, trying to shake off William’s warning. He knew his brother meant well but he wanted to just do things his own way. Sighing quietly, he stared out the window watching the lights of the city reflect into the car. Dammit, the normalcy he’s starting to have he didn’t want it to go away. Being Harry Wales was easier and he was treated like everyone else. His title as the Prince of Wales prevented him from accomplishing normal teenage affairs or anything for that matter. He’d somehow end up in the news for a scandal, or on the front page of newspaper for something else. Being with Meghan just as Harry, he felt relaxed. There weren’t any worries about someone just dating him due to his title or his wealth. Having dated girls in his social circle, he knew immediately how the game worked. You date someone who’s been groomed and with your assets you could do things how you wanted. Not to say that Chelsy was one of those he could mold, but Meghan indirectly influenced a change in him.

He could sense the difference in how he handled things. Sure, he was keeping a part of himself locked away while in Toronto, but he didn’t want to fall into that routine of what he used to do in England. They just had their first date and he’s already thinking this far into a relationship that just started. Taking a deep breath, he worked to stop his rapidly beating heart from causing him to panic. He knew thoughts like these wouldn’t just go away. Harry had a responsibility to disclose his princedom to her, and eventually it will happen. For now, his focus was just to let himself be immersed into this blooming relationship.

That’s all he wanted, to just submerge himself into everything else but that.

Meghan stirred a little in her sleep, waking herself up from her nap. She looked at Harry noticing his stern face. He seemed deep in thought, unless he just had his resting bitch face again. Looking around, she noted that they were pulling into the campus apartments parking deck. She blinked, getting herself re-acquainted with her surroundings. The driver pulled up to the curve towards the elevator they needed to use to get her floor. Harry exited the car first, going over to her side of the vehicle, opening the door for her. She took his hand and they walked over to the elevator.

The elevator ride was a little quiet. The couple stole glances at one another here and there. Though their silence was mutual, it was understood they both felt exhausted. Meghan gave Harry a bubbly grin, as they counted the upward towards the floors they needed to exit from. Stopping at Meghan’s floor, the duo walked down the lengthy hallway, turning the corner. They took their time walking towards the door of her apartment. Time just kept flying by and they didn’t want the fun they had together to end so soon. But like all things in life, somethings just have to stop and start again at another time. Playfully tuning Meghan around, they stopped in front of her door.

Meghan placed her hands-on Harry’s shoulders, “Thanks for tonight! I truly appreciated it. I had a lot of fun.”

Harry pressed his forehead against hers, “I’m glad, we should do this more often but maybe without the ass pain or the drowsiness?”  

Meghan pressed her lips against Harry’s cheek, “Lucky for you, I do take rain checks.”

“Perfect!”

_Listen my to heart go ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up_

_Hear my heart go ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum it just won't stop, it go_

_Ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up_

_Hear my heart go ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, it just won't stop, it go_

Moving her lips away from his cheek, Meghan gave Harry a hug before initiating the kiss this time. She pressed her lips against his, smiling into the kiss. Tonight, was a pleasant surprise and she couldn’t wait for what else what was in store. It didn’t matter that the weather left them shivering, being outside with him enjoying his company made her happy. Their kiss got a little heated as they moved in steady rhythm against each other. Harry pulled his lips from hers, giving her one last hug, before motioning for her to get inside. The chilly evening air whipped them back to reality.

Opening the door to her apartment, Meghan turned around to give Harry one last kiss.

“Bye Harry!”

“Bye Meghan!”

With a wave, Meghan closed the door behind her. Harry proceeded to take the elevator once again to get to his apartment. He had a little pep in his step as he walked towards his door. This evening turned out better than he’d expected. He especially appreciated that he put in his own effort (with Muffin’s help of course) for the date. To describe how the prince felt, he’s on cloud nine. No way, this high he had could come crashing down. Opening his door, he quickly locked it closed once he got inside. Slumping onto the sofa, he remembered that his ass was still in pain. He groaned laughing at how he completely forgot about that momentarily.

His heart thumped, as he thought of what could come in the future.

_Listen my to heart go ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up_

_Hear my heart go ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum it just won't stop, it go_

_Ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up_

_Hear my heart go ba-dum, boo'd up_

_Biddy-da-dum, it just won't stop, it go  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boo'd Up is a song by Ella Mai


	18. Chapter 16 - Etouffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings everyone! I know it's been a while since I've posted! I've been busy with changes in my personal life and so my schedule is a bit busier now. As a result, I won't be posting as frequently as I did before. However, as always I appreciate your support and patience with me! I promise you, this story isn't getting abandoned. We've only just hit the tip of the iceberg with Meghan and Harry's budding romance! - M

Chapter 16 – Étouffée

Following the whirlwind of the first and most recently second date, Harry found himself loosening up more around Meghan. He still wasn’t ready to tell her about being a Prince, but he enjoyed the moments they spent together. Within their two dates, the budding couple started working their time together around their schedules. Between the two _Harry_ had a lighter schedule compared to Meghan’s since his main duties this spring semester were: therapy, online classes and working at a restaurant. His community service hours were changed to six on Saturdays instead of his daily work. As for his newly acquired restaurant job, he worked at a French establishment as a host since his charismatic nature charmed his interviewer, now boss. The prince felt as if he was on cloud nine. Things were starting to fall into place.

Speaking of Meghan, he’s supposed to be meeting her about an hour after his shift ended. Checking his watch, he noted that the time was nine o’clock pm. Smiling to himself, he couldn’t wait to see her. They were a few days away from Valentine’s Day. Not to spoil anything but he had plans to spoil her for the day. Normally, a day like this was his least favorite he preferred to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays only. However, when it came to his sunshine, he never turned a holiday away. Just making her smile, and enjoying her company made him the happiest. With a pep in his step, he calculated some of the money the restaurant made, and helped clear tables with the bus boys. Wiping his hands on his apron, he carried the dirty dishes into the kitchen. After washing his hands, he prepared himself for the last round of his shift.

Within minutes of him returning to the front of the restaurant, guests started piling in.

_“Good Evening and welcome to Chateau Nuit! My name is Harry, and I’ll be glad to accommodate you tonight.”_

An hour later ….

Harry wrapped up his shift, handing a to-go bag to one of his regular customers. Bidding them goodbye, he wished them well on their way out the door. Glancing over the clock, the time was 10:15pm. He was a few minutes past his clock out time but luckily it wouldn’t get him into trouble. Considering the restaurant had a 15-minute extension, he didn’t need to worry. Hanging his apron onto the rack, he quickly went into the changing room, getting into his street clothes. Clocking out with his time card, he was promptly picked up by his bodyguard. Adjusting to this new schedule reminded him of how his days would go at Eton. Except in this case, he’d just finish his assignments in the morning before heading to work for the evening shift. Three pm to ten pm on weekdays, and full day shifts on the weekends. When he first told William about the job, his brother was surprised to see him so eager to do that. Considering he is the son of a Prince, this just wasn’t something he’d do.

Yet, Harry desired to have something of his own whether be pocket change to keep for himself, or experience in a job outside of his comfort zone. What better way to try to have a sense of ‘normalcy’ than with a regular job? He knew the risks of being discovered as a prince but honestly, he doubted the chances. He honestly shouldn’t underestimate people’s interactions with him. A red-headed ginger with a posh British accent working at a Canadian restaurant named ‘Harry’!? Please, he’d be spotted and pointed out from a mile away. Either way, the money he’d make can be used for paying off his phone bill, saving for a rainy day and for dates with Meghan. To increase his discretion, he knew he couldn’t necessary reveal much about himself either. He kept all his responses vague and masked his transparency with an invisible wall.

As Charles would tell him, when interacting with others in public spaces and keeping a low-profile discretion is vital for success.

Sighing, he glanced at the lights passing him by as his driver drove them back to the university apartments. Nights like these gave him time to break away from his thoughts for a bit. When he last visited his therapist, they discussed how things had been for him. From what Harry revealed, he’s continuing to make improvements. Sometimes he has moments where he goes into cycles with his grief. Dr. Sirmons reminded him that everyone goes through the grieving process differently. All that matters is how he’s working to cope with his episodes and mood swings. The prince admitted he tries to count backwards from ten, and to remind himself he’s not at the funeral but in the present. He also texts Tiggy, as he considers her his emotional support for these times. He would have turned to Meghan, William or Skippy but he opted to not in his words “burden” them with his grief. Since he didn’t even tell Meghan anything about his family as much yet, this would be a lot to put onto someone. It’d be best to tell later, like his major revelation.

He absolutely hated keeping things from Meghan, but she wasn’t his therapist. She’s his girlfriend it is not her job to always be emotionally available for him. She has her own problems and issues, that he has no clue about. The good thing is that at least Harry understands he can’t just dump everything onto someone. Hence why he sticks to his therapist or Tiggy for support in that area. The last thing he wants to do is drain Meghan from her own energy due to his healing processes. Just the fact that she’s around and is supportive even without knowing about this was enough for him. He just hoped that when he does tell her, he doesn’t blind side her in anyway. Talking about this to a significant other wasn’t easy especially with how everything is tied into his status as a Prince.

Enough about the looming thoughts in his mind, he was ready to unwind after a long day by spending quality time with Meghan. Tonight, she was spending the night at the apartment and would be cooking one of her infamous dishes. All he got from was that it’d be a surprise. Whatever she’d make he couldn’t complain; her food was delicious. This was something they started to do recently since her schedule is busier. Don’t get them wrong, they still go out but sometimes they just like keeping it simple. With girlfriends Harry’s had in the past he’d do _almost_ everything publicly or they’d meet him at the polo grounds. Since he’s been dating Meghan and isn’t back home, he’s had to make quite a few adjustments. Nevertheless, he never fails to adapt to his surroundings when necessary. In this case, he really had no choice because he’s of course ‘Harry Wales’ with her. The good thing though is that whatever they do, they’re creative enough to take even the simplest night just star gazing or just spending the day working on a project into something memorable.

The car pulled into the university’s housing parking lot. Harry and his bodyguard quickly exited the vehicle and made their way to his floor. Pulling out his phone, the prince checked his messages and saw one from Meghan via snapchat. Opening the app, he saw her continuing their cheesy snap streak. 142 snaps and counting despite vehemently denying he liked using said application often, she was the exception. The message was a photo of Meghan holding a pack of smores, “I’d like to kiss you s’more.” Oh god, if he didn’t find her cute and adore her the way he did he would’ve scrunched up his face. Her cheesiness was the main reason he got through most of his shifts. Opening the door to his apartment, he quickly let himself inside heading to the refrigerator. He walked over to the magnets and quickly scrambled them. Taking a picture, he put the caption “all these magnets but I’m only attracted to you.”

Even water couldn’t dilute this sweet tea.

Once he got settled into being home, Harry did a quick sweep to make sure everything looked decent. Satisfied with his organization skills, he anticipated Meghan coming any minute now with ingredients for them to cook tonight’s dish. He pondered what ideas she had in mind. Last week, it was his turn to bring items over. Though he was supposed to buy food to make dinner, he felt like making his mother’s Snickerdoodles. She slipped into his mind, when he was working his shift earlier on that day. Seeing all the desserts coming out of the kitchen made his mouth water for Diana’s infamous pastries. Her handiwork included but not limited to lemon tarts, brownies, blondies, lemon cake, scones, and of course snickerdoodles. He could picture her right now, standing in the kitchen scolding him or William for trying to taste the batter without asking. A somber smile washed over his face, maybe one day they’d get to bake together again.

The sound of a knock at the door got his attention.

Without hesitation, he went to open it and there Meghan was, her hands filled to the brim with ingredients.

“What’s on the menu for tonight’s dinner Sunny?”

She gave him an excited smile.

“Étouffée, mon amour.”

“Huh?”

“Louisiana Crawfish!”

“Right!”

How could even the things she said in French sound so alluring? His skills in the love language were basic, but he never failed to be impressed by what Meghan did. Holding the door open for her, and taking a good portion of the bags, he kicked the door shut. He’d lock it later of course. Escorting her to the kitchen they placed the bags of seasonings, and other foods onto the counters. Not wasting a second, his hands found themselves linked with hers. She pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek. He felt himself blush. It didn’t matter that they were only two dates and almost a month together, he was certain these little flutters he had towards her wouldn’t go away. Watching Meghan, he assisted her with sorting all the ingredients into organized sections. The first time they cooked together, he questioned the methods to her madness, and she raised her eyebrow at him. From that moment on, he knew to just to go with the flow.

Now to clarify, this isn’t saying that either of them lead the relationship, but they are very much equals. They just have little quirks and the other knows when to just observe.

Handing Harry, a pair of gloves and putting an apron on, Meghan was prepped to work on the Étouffée.

“Ready sous chef?”

“Absolutely!”

May the cooking begin!

Thirty minutes later, and together, the chefs sat at the kitchen table anxiously waiting for the food to be ready. Wait, there’s an error, Harry was anxiously awaiting the food. Meghan on the other hand, sat in his lap, while they conversed about their day. From what Harry heard amid their talk, she was currently working on a project in her theatre class. For her assigned topic it was on: “Josephine Baker: the use of sexuality, and female empowerment in performance.” Quite a mouthful isn’t it? Meghan explained to him that not only was she to do the research, she also had to do a performance of one of her iconic stages. Personally, she wasn’t sure about covering her banana dress stage, but she’d do something. He gave her a supportive smile, nodding while trying to stay awake.

“You’re sleepy aren’t you darling?”

Harry hummed into her shoulder, feeling his eyes dropping.

She ran her fingers through his hair, lightly massaging his scalp.

“Dinner will be ready soon! Just a few minutes more.”

Harry sensed that despite his sleepiness, Meghan wanted to know how things were with work.

She didn’t have to say a word, but he knew immediately.

“I know what you’re wondering and yes, I’m enjoying being a host.”

“Are you now?”

He hummed once more, “Mm, and the food is quite tasty!”

“I’d hope so!”

“One day, when you’re _not thinking about it_ , I’ll take you. It’ll be my treat.”

“Who says I’ve been thinking about it though?”

“We may not have been dating this long Meg, but I can read you pretty well.”

She shifted her position in his lap to straddle him, “Really?”

“Yeah.”

Meghan cupped his slightly drowsy face into her palms.

“What can you read about me now?”

Harry cocked his head to the side, “Hmm let me think …”

Nothing else needed to be said in that moment. She leaned forward, kissing him. He reciprocated the gesture, quickly deepening his kisses. Moaning against her mouth, his arms wrapped around hers, and his hands found its way onto her back. He palmed the middle of her back, groaning as she kissed the side of his neck. Shit! If she gave him hickey, he’d have to – oh _fuck_ , she – oh YES, god! Meghan lightly nibbled Harry’s weak spot sucking and lapping at the pale skin. He felt himself getting aroused and tried hard to calm himself down. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, _FUCK_!

“SHIT!”

Meghan continued her ministrations, sucking harder, moaning against his neck.

“YES!”

Feeling the skin slightly break, she stopped, giving him one last suck and kiss. Harry opened his eyes, switching their positions in the chair, hoisting her back into his lap. His lips reached her jawline, nibbling. Meghan felt her head fall backwards and he carefully laid her down onto the table. She tugged at his shirt, pulling her closer to him. They started kissing again, moaning into the other’s lips. She grunted feeling his hand grab one of her thighs. His tongue slid into her mouth as he caressed her.

“Mm!”

Their kisses were sloppier this time, without any sort of set pace. Harry rolled his hips against hers, feeling himself hardening through the fabric. Meghan let out an inaudible gasp, grinding in synch with him. Her hands tugged on his belt, hastily unbuckling it. He nodded at her, while he unzipped his jeans and she palmed his clothed erection. As if the stars were truly aligned amid this sensual moment, the pot began to boil aggressively. The lust filled couple adjusted themselves, and quickly washed their hands. They shared one last kiss before getting the food out of the oven. 

The aroma of the freshly cooked stew filled their noses. Meghan took the spoon, taste testing the stew’s broth. Her eyes lit up as the flavors of garlic, Cajun seasoning, melted butter, and even the tomato sauce danced in her mouth. She motioned for her boyfriend to come over to and try a bit of it as well. Serving him a spoonful, he moaned happily, letting the blend of spices melt into his mouth. He gave Meghan a satisfied smile, taking out the dishes so they can get ready to eat. Dishing out the rice, he worked to plate it nicely before she drizzled the stew on top. Once the bowls were filled, they took their seats at the table. Remembering that William bought him a bottle of white wine, Harry headed to the refrigerator to take it out. On his way to the table, he placed two glasses onto the table.

“We’re pairing this with wine tonight? Someone’s got taste.”

Harry chuckled, pouring the wine into the glasses.

“I only learned from the best.”

She shot him a flirtatious wink.

Together, they clinked their glasses cheering towards a good meal.

Later that evening ….

For someone that claimed they were sleepy from the long day, they sure found themselves googling away and discreetly using Pinterest for ideas. Oh Harry, where has your mind taken you this evening? Looking over at Meghan’s sleeping frame completely, he tried to figure out ideas of what he could for her for Valentine’s Day. Remember, how earlier it was assumed he had plans? Well, he truly doesn't, he's been starting and stopping with ideas.  He kept feigning as if it isn't really a big deal but he still wanted to put in the effort to make it special. He’d worse for not doing anything at all. The holiday wasn’t particularly his favorite but when it came to someone, he really liked he wasted no time pulling out all the stops to make the day special for them. Dammit, he just didn’t want it to be anything cheesy or over the top. It needed to come from the heart. It’s harder since they haven’t been dating that long, but he knew somehow, he’d pull something together.

_Don’t worry Harry, perhaps you’ll find the help and the inspiration you need._

Turning off his phone, he placed it on his nightstand. Meghan heard the sound and slightly stirred in her sleep. Harry inhaled quietly, wrapping his arms around her. Kissing her forehead, he finally decided to get the rest he knew he needed.

The next day …

Following last night’s cozy night-in, Harry returned to work with the Valentine’s Day idea in mind. Through his shift, he heard his co-workers talking about the upcoming holiday. They too, minus the manager felt a sense of dread. The holidays two months wiped most of them out and the stress of Valentine’s Day right around the corner added to the pressure. Harry could sense their anxiousness and knew right away to avoid those vibes. Sure, a little nervousness was normal, but Harry didn’t need to be _stressing_ over something like this. Maybe he’d talk to Serena and Priyanka or the lads for advice. Fuck wait no scratch the later. He still didn’t tell them anything about Meghan yet. Still too soon! Knowing his friends, they’d say something wild like: “Easy Harry, just put your _dick_ in a box.”

Just a few more hours to go, and maybe if he’s lucky he’d have the chance to talk to Serena and Priyanka.

Thing is, he wanted to ensure that his tracks were covered so none of the surprise would be suspected by Meghan. Though he was able to get away with getting her jewelry overseas without her knowledge, he’s in Toronto now. He had to find an angle to keep her in the dark on this. Then again, this is the same Prince Harry who is basically hiding in plain sight- unless she has a clue, he’s a Prince. Anyway, this surprise needed to be executed as flawlessly as it could. The Virgo within him refused to anything less for the girl he truly cared for. Damn Meghan, what have you done to our Harry!? It’s like she breathes, and he’s shaken to his core with admiration, care, and other feelings lingering to the surface.

Well Henry Charles Albert David, time is ticking. You better get to planning and prepping!

A little later in the afternoon …

“Oh, so you’ve decided to enlist us to help with planning a surprise for Meghan?”

Harry nodded, looking Priyanka and Serena straight in the eye.

The girls chuckled, sensing Harry’s overwhelming determination and nervousness.

Priyanka cocked her head to the side, “For starters, don’t be so wound up about it. Meghan likes things that are done from the heart.”

Serena took the moment to chime in, “Now, that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t AT LEAST be some thought into the presentation or delivery. Because this is MEGHAN we’re talking about. The girl is the queen of aesthetics, presentation and ideas.”

Harry snickered, “My girlfriend’s the human Pinterest huh?”

Her friends playfully rolled their eyes, “If she had a blog about the parties, and other things she does she’d put Martha Stewart or anyone else out of business.”

The prince felt himself shiver slightly as he imagined the kind of events Meghan threw.

No pressure, right?

“Harry, snap out of it right now! You’re going to be fine! Stop stress thinking!”

“Together with our different skills, especially with you in the gift department Harry, we’ll be set!”

He blushed, graciously accepting the girls’ compliments.

“Now, let’s get started Weasley!”  
  
Operation: Valentine’s Day is on!

To be continued …


	19. Chapter 17- Love Language (Happy Valentine's Day)

February 12th, 2017

Harry couldn’t tell what made him more anxious, his hormones or his nerves towards Meghan’s Valentine’s day surprise. He laid in his bed, it was a Sunday evening. Earlier, he did his daily shift at the restaurant. Then he briefly met with Serena and Priyanka to start his plans for the big day. From what they discussed, it wouldn’t be difficult to work towards making the day special for her.  Again, today is Sunday and Valentine’s Day is this coming Tuesday. There wasn’t any room for any errors. However, since tomorrow will be Meghan’s busiest day, the girls told Harry he’d have to distract her while they finish the rest of the touches in the apartment. It would be easier because they’d get more done if he’s with her versus hiding in her room.

Plus, he could give her the first gift he had, a box with a ring. To briefly explain, the ring is a silver ring of _tranquility_. The ring was sent to him from Giuliano himself as a gift for his lovely thank you letter. He said that the customized the band would be something simple yet impactful, while it's a meaningful gift to give someone you care about. Smiling, he thought about her reaction to the gifts, along with the rest of the surprise. These next two days would be worth seeing her beautiful brown eyes twinkle.

She was worth it, and he planned to ensure the day would be special for her.

Maybe it was too soon to say it aloud, but he was ready to continue moving forward with their relationship.

Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep allowing himself to finally relax after the day he had.

February 13th, 2017

“We have exactly 24 hours before Meghan has a full free day to herself. Serena and Harry are you ready to make this the best Valentine’s Day for Meghan?”

The fiery duo gave one another a high five, “YES!”

Priyanka grinned while measuring the walls of Meghan’s room.

“I think I’m most nervous about Meghan figuring out her room’s been ambushed by a ginger, a bunch of pink balloons, and peony petals everywhere.”

Serena shook her head, “I think the biggest concern will be you keeping her distracted. You may have to take her around the city for the day while we finish the final touches tomorrow.”

“Got it!”

“Whatever you do, DO NOT come over to the apartment _until_ six o’clock. We want to ensure that everything is set in place. Also, when you come, make sure you text us so we can distract her while you change.”

Harry blushed thinking about the red silk pajama pants he bought just for the occasion. He isn’t usually the type to cover himself completely in peony petals and lay in a bed seductively. Yet, here he is prepping to do just that, complete with candle light and plate of some of Meghan’s favorite sweet treats. Though we’d get into details, don’t want to ruin too much of the surprise. Looking around at Meghan’s orange walls once again, he acquainted himself with the photos of her friends. He quickly apologized to them mentally informing them that tomorrow night they’d need to cover their eyes. Quickly finishing up and scanning around her room, the trio returned to the kitchen to go over the plans for decorations once more. Serena created a checklist on her iPad, going through each item ensuring they had everything. After they finished their checklist, Harry quickly exited the apartment. His excitement continued to grow as he mentally counted down the hours until tomorrow. It wouldn’t be long now. He was confident that everything would go off with a hitch.

_Happy Valentine’s Day, Meghan._

May tomorrow be a memorable day for them both.

Tuesday, February 14th, 2017

Waking up with butterflies in his stomach, our protagonist rolled over having to get grips with how today was supposed to go. Checking his schedule once again to see it cleared, he felt relieved. Sighing, he loosened his tense joints reminding himself that he’s spending the day with Meghan. Gosh, he hoped that everything would be okay. It’s been a while since he’s had time off away from therapy or anything else, including school work. God, when _was_ the last time this happened? A smile etched itself onto his face as his blue eyes glowed. He couldn’t wait to just enjoy the day with his valentine and surprise her. This wouldn’t have been possible without Serena and Priyanka’s help. He owed them tremendously for their efforts in pulling this off.

Jumping out of bed, Harry did a little jive towards his bathroom.

In the words of Ella Mai to describe his current emotions, “Listen my to heart go ba-dum, boo'd up. Biddy-da-dum, boo'd up!”

Tonight, more than just his heart would be overflowing with butterflies.

Around 10:30 am ….

After getting ready for the day, Harry continued his happy dance into the living room. Amid himself humming a tune, he went ahead and fixed himself some breakfast. His mind swirled back to how he started this day in the past. He knew he shouldn’t be thinking of previous Valentine’s Days of yesteryears but this current one was right. Sitting down at the table, he thought back to when he and William gave their mum, and father disastrous looking cards. They were made with red construction paper, messy gold glitter and quite a glob of glue. Using sharpie marker, each boy wrote in their best chicken scratch “Happy Valentine’s Day” to each parent. If Harry recalled correctly, his card to his mother, had a homemade drawing of them hugging. Thinking about it now, those cards were quite the art project but seeing his mother’s smile filled him with so much excited. It’s times like these he wished she was here, so he could give her another card, or even chocolates. Alas, here he is in the present but at least he can keep memories like this one close to heart.

Checking the time, he realized he needed to have taken Meghan out for their romantic day out as of now. Harry wasn’t a morning person at all but for today he was going to _try_. Actually, let’s be realistic, this is the _earliest_ he’s going to get with taking someone out for the day. Funny enough, he needed to give her a call to begin with. Good god, he’s a mess today. Pulling out his phone he quickly texted his sunshine ensuring she was within proximity for the plan to officially begin. If he didn’t hurry up and make it over there, Priyanka’s kicking his ass for ruining the surprise before they even had a chance to finish their plans. Booking it out the door, he ran towards the elevator to get to the upper level to meet Meghan.

_Let’s have a great day Harry. Enjoy yourself and don’t worry to much, things will fall into place._

Once the elevator reached the floor above, he opted to take a leisurely stroll. Checking his hands, he remembered that he was holding a small bouquet of flowers and a card for Meghan. He almost forgot he even had them in his hands because of how slightly wound up he was. This isn’t even all of what he has planned to spoil her with. He took in all the sights around him. Turning the corner, he slowed his steps a bit not to make himself seem too eager. Nothing could take away his excitement for today. Once he reached the number of the apartment, he knocked and waited for someone to answer. He heard the shuffling of feet, and someone humming a lovely tune. When the door opened, Meghan stood in the entrance nicely dressed in a blush sweater with a plum leather jacket, black skinny jeans and her fuzzy green slippers on her feet.

“Hey babe! Happy Valentine’s Day!”

“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too Sunny!”

She gave him an excited hug, letting him into the living room.

Not wasting a second, Harry gave her the card and small bouquet of flowers.

“Thank you so much! That’s sweet!”

They shared a loving kiss, before she briefly exited to get her shoes.

He grinned, mentally scanning the living room anticipating how in the next few hours it’d be covered in a peony petals, candles, and little envelopes. He couldn’t thank Priyanka and Serena for helping him put this together while he distracted her for the day. Now, all he had to do is somehow pull some ideas out of his ass. He should’ve made a list of idea but considering how Meghan works he didn’t want to be too predictable. Keeping it simple would work plus he had to be back by six o’clock to change and hide in her room. The lengths he goes for this girl is almost mad. Harry needs to seriously think things through the next time he goes through something like this.

But none of that mattered at this moment, because it’s the thought and the execution that counts the most.

Meghan returned to the living room with a bag of her own in her hands, and a card.

“It’s small but I’m sure you’ll appreciate it.”

Harry wrapped his arms around her waist, “I’ll appreciate anything you give me. Don’t even question it.”

He kissed her forehead before opening the bag. He pulled out a small box, and when he opened it there was a white beaded bracelet. Noticing there was note to go with it, he read it. The text described that this bracelet stood for _potentials, goals_ and _success_. Sliding the bracelet onto his wrist, he went ahead and got to the card. The card was a bright red color with a gorgeous silver manuscript, and golden heart at the bottom. The text read Happy Valentine’s Day, and when he opened the card Meghan left him a note inside. If calligraphy could kill, honestly hers would. The way she worded the sentences she wrote stunned him.

_Happy Valentine’s Day to you, darling. I hope that today is filled with as much warmth that you give to me. I’m delighted to be celebrating this holiday with you. Who’d think my valentine would be a British ginger? The bracelet I gave to you is a reflecting of the person you’re becoming. You’re filled with so much potential and are on the right path towards success. I’m so proud of the person I see before me. You have my unconditional support towards your goals, and I can’t wait to see the success you have. Today is another day of those accomplishments whether big or small. Let’s enjoy each other’s company and cherish it._

_Xoxo, Meghan_

Harry inhaled slowly, feeling himself almost about to cry. No one has ever written or said anything like this to him before besides Tiggy or his mum. Yet reading this from Meghan, the feelings were different. He felt a rush of different emotions. He couldn't even put his fingers onto it but all he did was give her another hug, while composing himself. She wrapped her arms around him, taking in the embrace. Every word she wrote on in that card, he felt the meaning of them.

"I don't even know what to say."

Meghan patted his back, as they remained in their hug.

"You don't have to say anything."

He hummed against her cheek, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Pulling away from their embrace, he laced his fingers with hers. Their Valentine's Day hasn't even truly started yet and he's already about to cry. She really pulled at his heart strings with that card.

"Don't read your card until this evening okay?"

Meghan nodded, "Okay!"

She bit her lip wondering why but decided to go ahead and put her bouquet into a water filled vase.

Harry smirked noticing her expression.

"I know what you're thinking but everything will make sense later on.”

"Okay!"

"Now, we need to get moving with our day out before the sun sets."

"Right!"

_Meghan, you truly are in for a surprise._

To summarize their outing, one could describe it as being “wonderful.” Harry managed to completely distract Meghan from any sort of suspicion about tonight. He opted to keep things simple and took her out to lunch. Afterwards, they spent time enjoying each other’s company in the city. Various photographs documented how satisfied they were. Escorting Meghan back to her apartment, Harry had to figure out how to return so the surprise would be ready. Kissing his girlfriend “goodbye”, he texted Priyanka and Serena in their chat that he just dropped Meghan off. Once he arrived at his apartment, he slipped inside working on packing a duffel bag. You can never be too prepared just in case your silk pajamas don’t work out.

He sat on his bed awaiting the text from his private group chat. Inhaling slowly, Harry reminded himself to relax and go with the flow. Tonight, would still be a magical one. It didn’t have to be _perfect_ , but the effort and the thought put into it still counts. He reached over the side of his bed where the boxes of letters were. He placed the card that Meghan gave to him today into said box. Harry’s mind still replayed the note inside of it. Every word she said in there held heavy meaning. Hearing his phone vibrate, the message he waited for came in.

_Serena: Get ready Weasley! We’re coming to get you!_

_Priyanka: Meghan is still at the apartment, but we’ll find a way to get you in undetected._

_Harry: Got it! Thanks ladies!  
__  
Priyanka: No problem_ _😊_

 _Serena: You’re welcome! On a scale of 1-10 how anxious or excited are you?_ _😊_

_Harry: Over 10, about 200 in the excited and anxious department._

_Serena: Trust me she’s going to love it!_

_Priyanka: DEFINITELY! Now open the door we’re here!_

Harry did one last sweep to gather everything he needed. He went to the refrigerator getting the strawberry flavored bonbons, Tignanello wine, and chocolate covered strawberries. The doorbell rang and he quickly answered it. From the moment he opened it, Serena and Priyanka grabbed him by the arms urging him to hurry up so they could sneak him inside the apartment before Meghan gets back. Running into the elevator, the ladies had to catch him up to speed on Meghan’s whereabouts. From what they told him, she’s currently still in the apartment but Serena planned to find an excuse for her to exit.

“She’s still there and honestly, we needed to plan this part better. I really hope she doesn’t find the decorations.”

Harry felt his heart race, he didn’t want any part of the surprise to be ruined.

“Serena, go ahead and come back early. Try ANYTHING you can to distract her! She can’t see me or any of the items I have with me.”

“When you get her out of the apartment let us know that way we can quickly decorate!”

“Leave it to me!”

Serena then took off; her athletic sprints took her to the apartment under three minutes tops. Priyanka and Harry worked on a plan on how they’d get Harry into the apartment and have her room decorated in the meantime. 

“Man, this is going to be quite the scheme to pull off huh?”

“Well Harry, welcome to being in love.”

The prince felt his cheeks going warm.

“I never said I was in love with her.”

Priyanka cocked her head to the side, “You don’t have to say it for it to be obvious. Between you and me, Meghan loves you too. You’re perfect for each other.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell her about your obvious feelings. That’s between the two of you.”

“Thank you, Priyanka. She means a lot to me. I just want this to be perfect.”

“Trust me, when you see the set up yourself, you’ll know she’ll love it.”

After getting the notification the coast was clear, Harry and Priyanka snuck into her back window. Once they got inside, they quickly worked to get the peony petals and candles set up from the living room down to Meghan’s room. He took out three envelopes from his bag, setting them up according to how his notes were written. These little notes were hints for Meghan to see her surprise. Priyanka worked to decorate Meghan’s bed and the floor with some more the petals and placed rose gold, pink, and red balloons everywhere as well. The candles on the floor inside her bedroom were switch on lights instead of the real ones in bowls from the main entrance. Once they finished getting everything set up, Harry went into Meghan’s room changing from his street clothes into his silk pajama pants. He grabbed two glasses from the cabinet, laid out the sweets onto platters and made haste with opening the wine bottle. Now all he had to do was wait for Serena to get Meghan back so she could be surprised. Getting comfortable on her bed, he ran his fingers through his hair. It wouldn’t be long now until she saw everything. Placing his speaker onto her nightstand, he opened his Spotify app to the playlist he created earlier today.

He adjusted the volume so Kehlani’s “First Position” could play.

Sighing, he felt himself relaxing as the music filled his ears. He ran his hand behind neck, feeling the goosebumps of cool air on his skin. Harry flexed his toes, humming along to the song. He swayed back and forth, anticipating Meghan’s arrival. God, the wait was killing him. She could be coming in at any moment. Closing his eyes, he took a mental image of the space he was in. He could smell the scented candles down the hall, and Harry felt lulled into the music.

_Meanwhile outside of the apartment …._

“Serena what’s wrong? Why are you dragging me all over the apartment to find a place to talk?”

The tennis champion paused, trying to find some sort of ass pulling excuse to throw Meghan off.

“I just figured we haven’t really talked in a while about things.”

Meghan raised her eyebrow, “We talked last night.”

“A lot can happen in a night Meghan.”

Okay, Serena we get that you’re trying to distract Meghan but don’t make it too obvious!

“It’s about me and Alexis!”

Okay good, reel her in slowly.

“We’re having problems with arranging our dates to match up.”

Meghan nodded, deciding to just go ahead and listen. Something just seemed fishy to her.

“Weren’t you all supposed to be meeting tonight for a date?”

“Yes, but then he had to cancel because his tech professor set up a mandatory lab.”

“Why not just schedule it for this weekend or at another time?”

Meghan, Meghan, Meghan, little do you know that’s what’s going on.

“Yeah I should try that! Thanks Meghan! I’ll text him right now!”

Serena pulled out her phone, quickly shooting a text to Harry and Priyanka asking if they’re ready.

_Harry: Hella ready! I’m laying in bed praying these bonbons don’t melt. I’m ready to see my baby._

_Priyanka: Everything’s all set._

Smiling, Serena hopped out of her chair giving Meghan a loving hug.

“Thanks baby girl! Now we need to get back to the apartment so you can help me pick out my outfit for this weekend.”

SERENA!

Meghan shrugged, it’s not like she had anything else to do for the night anyway. She and Harry had their little day out. He told her he had to take care of something with William. Secretly she didn’t want their day to end so quickly though. Sighing, she went along with helping Serena pick out the seamless outfit. Going into the elevator, she slightly spaced out when her perky friend talked about different outfit combinations. All she could think about was Harry and how amazing it would’ve been to have at least done something for tonight. Maybe they could plan something of their own at another time. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to soak in some time with Harry. They’re both quite busy, if only they had at least one night to themselves or something.

Snapping herself out her thoughts she took note of the elevator opening. Her friend took her hand walking down the hallway.

Serena grinned, tonight was going to be the best one Meghan’s had.

As they turned the corner towards their apartment, Serena started to slow down their steps. This isn’t like her at all. Meghan had a hunch something was going on. Was Serena hiding something? It’s too coincidental that both Alexis and Harry were suddenly booked for the evening. As for Priyanka, things didn’t seem too out of the ordinary because she always had something going on at various hours of the day. The activities she participated in were time demanding. Anyway, she needed to not overthink everything.

Meghan was so caught up in her thoughts she didn’t even realize they reached the apartment door.

“Meghan, I forgot my key, do you have yours?”

The freckled beauty playfully rolled her eyes, pulling out her I.D. card. With a quick scan the door opened.

Meghan froze when she saw peony petals, candles, balloons and an envelope before her.

What’s going on?

Picking up the first envelope labeled “Meghan”, she opened it.

_Dear Meghan,_

_By the time you’ve gotten this letter you must have noticed how elaborately decorated the apartment is. Happy Valentine’s Day. Today was short but tonight I want to make up for it and truly show my appreciation for you. If you keep looking there are two other envelopes lying around with little surprises inside. Who knows, maybe in one of these envelopes you might find me!_

_Xoxo – H!_

He – what the fuck!? How did he manage to -!? Meghan continued into the living room, stopping by another candle with an envelope. This time there was a small box next to it. Opening it, the next note gave out another clue.

_Hey baby girl,_

_Funny how it’s my first time using that nickname. In this small box is something unexpected and new. Maybe it might even be something blue. What’s inside is something close to my heart and I want it to be yours. Please take care of it and keep it safe. When you wear it, I want you to think of not just me but us._

_Xoxo – H!_

Opening the box, she gasped when she saw a small honora blue pearl ring. The band for the ring was threadbare silver. They hadn’t even dated for that long and he’s already spoiling her like this!? What the hell!?!? Should she really be accepting this!?!? The ring is so delicate, and precious. Holy shit! How did he find something so beautiful!? Her skin felt hot as she slipped the ring onto her finger.

Walking down the hallway towards the door of her bedroom, she heard music playing. However, before she could open the door, one last envelope was in front of her.

_Hi Sunny,_

_I wanted to leave you with a little sugar before our night begins. Do you see the bag of kisses? There are plenty of kisses for you sweetie. Just don’t eat them all because I want some of your kisses too. Thank you for always being so sweet, and supportive of me. I truly appreciate your encouragement, and reassurance. So, I want to spoil you with all the kisses, hugs, and most importantly my heart._

_Happy Valentine’s Day, Sunny!_

_XOXO – H_

Meghan picked up the bag of Hershey’s Kisses, and quietly opened the door. When she walked in, Harry was laying on the bed dressed in red silk pajama pants, and her comforter was covered in peony petals. She wasn’t sure of how to react. Thousands of thoughts flowed into her head at once. How the hell did he manage to pull all of this off!? Her body couldn’t seem to move itself over to the bed. She remained still while she took a deep breath. Harry looked over in her direction giving her a smile. Using his index finger, he tried to direct her over to the bed to join him. However, since she was frozen, he slowly rose from the bed walking towards her. When he reached her, he playfully bopped her on the nose.

“Happy Valentine’s Day babe.”

Though she didn’t have the words to describe her emotions, her body language said it all. Closing the gap, she kissed him passionately. The shivers down her spine, and the way he held her close, it felt so different. She felt his hands roaming her body as they stumbled onto the bed. He worked to remove her jacket, while she straddled his hips. He froze, feeling the bonbons getting crushed. She stopped, looking down at him. Harry rolled his eyes, while kissing Meghan again. To hell with those damned chocolates.

He coaxed his tongue into her mouth, moaning against her lips. She hummed in response, letting him take the lead. Their kisses became sloppier, and their body temperature began to rise. Meghan unbuttoned her stop, tossing it into the mass off balloons on the floor. Harry rolled them over, pressing kisses onto her neck, working his way up to her ear. Nibbling at her weak spot, she moaned as his hands gripped her thighs. She rolled her hips as he pressed his knee into her crotch. She ran her fingers through his hair, hissing curses while he lapped at her collarbone. He gave her a loving look before capturing her lips once more, sucking at her bottom lip.

"Not bad, huh?"

Meghan bit the inside of her cheek.

"Hmmm ... could use some work."

Harry kissed her shoulder, "Lead the way."

Pausing, they knew from this point on things were certainly going to change in their relationship. The couple decided to briefly hash out everything before proceeding with their first time together. Sure, they got as far as dry humping, but they knew sex without communication could go south quickly.  After a few minutes of laying out some healthy boundaries and disclosing their statuses to each other, it wasn't long until they got back into it again. Meghan's bra was quickly thrown into the pile where her shirt was. Her jeans, and Harry's pajama pants joined the stack as well.

They finally saw each other fully in the nude. There was a moment between them, gazing at each other's features before Meghan took the lead.

Meghan pushed Harry back onto the bed, kissing him softly. His hands found them on her hips until she slowly removed them. He pulled away from her, raising an eyebrow. She gave him a flirtatious wink. Her fingers slowly dragged themselves down his chest, while she felt him hardening beneath her. She kissed his face, working her way towards his jawline. Once she reached his neck, she did her ministrations; sucking and biting at the skin. Harry moaned as she used her hands to restrain his.

“Fuck!”

Meghan released her lips from his neck, she gave him a playful peck to his cheek. Releasing his hands, she continued her kissing trail towards his collarbone. Once she reached his chest, she sucked on his pale skin again. He groaned, feeling her switch from teasing nips to hard bites. When she got to his nipples, she generously took them into his mouth. Harry bit the inside of his lip, trying to not moan any louder. He usually wasn’t the type to tell someone that he liked for his nipples to be sucked but – shit! Meghan didn’t even have to ask, it’s like she knew. He heard her gasp when she felt his cock twitch in response to her actions.

She looked up at him, winking at him.

Harry maintained their contact as she lowered herself onto her knees, taking his phallus into her hands. He moaned at the coolness of her hands. Meghan stroked, him eagerly preparing to take him whole. The prince paused, remembering that while he’d absolutely enjoy it, he wanted to pleasure her instead. God, this was hard. He really didn’t want to ruin the mood. Oh, to hell with it Harry! Fuck your thoughts! Stop thinking and enjoy it. Closing his eyes, he let out a whiny moan when Meghan’s warm mouth took him whole.

“Yes!”

She bobbed up and down, working her tongue against his shaft. Harry tried to find a place to put his hand, until she laced her fingers with his. Her tongue continued to swivel against his skin. The ginger felt his eyes roll to the back of his head. His cheeks were a flushed pink, and his bottom lip was swollen from how hard he bit into it. The pleasure Meghan gave him sent jolts down his spine. _Fuck_ , she had a mouth on her! Her tongue worked in unison with her hollowed cheeks. Breathing through her nose, she kept her mouth on him. Moving in a steady rhythm, her tongue ran against his precum soaked tip, groaning against him.

She released herself from him with a _POP_! 

“Shit!”

His eyes followed hers, as she got on top of him again. He lifted himself up, kissing her neck, and chest. Switching positions, Harry was on top this time. Meghan moaned into his kisses, as he worked his tongue into her mouth. Their kisses were once again slippery and full of desire. He buried his face into the crook of her neck, kissing his way towards her chin. Once more he captured her lips giving her sweet pecks. He pulled at her bottom lip, working with her movements. Everything just _felt so right_. The way her warm skin was pressed against his and he could feel her hands on his back while he was on top of her. This wasn’t even _love making_ but it sure felt close to it. All these feelings he had were pouring out. He couldn’t stop showering her in kisses.

Stopping for a moment, Harry took a moment to give Meghan a satisfied smile. He probably would have slipped out an “ _I Love You_ ” to her but he knew better than to say something like that this soon. Still, if this could be a scenario, he could have more often he would. Taking Meghan’s hand, he kissed the inside of her palm, before giving her one last kiss on the lips. Getting onto his knees, he nudged for Meghan to open her legs. He kissed the inside of her thighs using his right hand to rub her vulva. She moaned when he inserted two of his fingers, giving her direct eye contact.

She swallowed, “Just like _that_!”

He sucked her clit, humming against it, while his fingers set a steady pace inside of her. Meghan felt her legs shake slightly. She bucked her hips against his fingers, shivering with excitement as he brushed against her g-spot.

“YES!”

Harry felt Meghan’s folds increase in arousal and his fingers easy slipped themselves in and out. Lowering his head, he replaced his fingers with his tongue. Meghan gripped his head, sighing at the warmth of his tongue inside of her. He closed his eyes, letting his mouth do the work. He slightly tugged at her lips, lapping away at the folds. Using his free right hand, he let his thumb and index finger slightly pinch at her clit. She gasped at the sensation as the sensitive bud, was brushed against his fingers.

“OH!”

  
Harry felt her throbbing against his tongue. He knew she was getting closer. Sliding his fingers inside of her again, he suckled at her clit. Meghan rolled her hips against his fingers once more, as her orgasm washed over. Harry lapped away at her again with tongue, taking in the taste of her cum. He gave her a few lazy licks before bringing his fingers to her mouth. She slurped his digits slowly, moaning at the taste of herself. Harry got on top of her, removing his fingers from her mouth and kissing her sweetly. Meghan happily reciprocated the kiss, brushing her lips against his.

_How did she always make his heart skip a beat?_

“I want to ride you.”

Harry blinked, reaching for a condom inside of his pajama pants pocket. Now, before you judge him, he didn’t plan for this to happen at all. He just carries them around _just incase_ a sexual situation occurs. Tearing the package open he worked to roll the latex covering onto his shaft. Once it fit, he made himself comfortable onto the bed while Meghan got on top of him. She took her lube out from her top nightstand drawer. She squirted some into her palm, rubbing some onto the condom and on her clit. Harry raised an eyebrow questioning the flavor of it.

Meghan shook her head. “Open your mouth.”

He opened his mouth, tasting the strawberry lubricant as it rolled onto his tongue.

“Fuck me!”

Lowering herself onto him, Meghan’s thrusts were rapid with deep motions. She rolled her hips, kissing his lips. Their eyes remained one another as he ran his hands over her thighs. Their moans were lewd, and curses rolled off their tongues.

“ _SHIT_!”

“ _UNH_!”

Harry’s threw his head back against the headboard. The warmth of his girlfriend’s walls and her kisses on his neck, drove him crazy. He worked to meet her thrusts, increasing in speed. His grunts filled the room. To describe his face, his cheeks were flushed red and his lips were slick from the kisses he and Meghan shared. Opening his eyes, he moved his mouth towards her chest, latching onto one of her perky nipples. He nipped and sucked while she gripped his head. Harry took one of his free hands to massage Meghan’s clit.

“ _Mm_!”

He kissed Meghan softly.

“Let me get on top.”

Switching positions, Harry was on top this time.  Kehlani’s _Love Language_ , set the tone of the sex. The thrusts that were faster before, became slower, taking in the physical aspect of their emotions. The candles, and everything else in the background be damned Just the fact that they were together in their own little bubble was all that mattered.  Their kisses resumed once more, sweeter this time. Harry’s eyes trailed over Meghan’s frame. He saw the way her eyes were shut, how her breath hitched with how he thrusted into her. He pressed kisses onto her face before he captured hers once more. He felt her hands on his back.

“Go faster!”

Picking up the pace, he gave her harder thrusts. The sounds of her moaning, and everything else in the moment felt right.

“FUCK!”

“OH! ~”

_Said I wanna be fluent in your love language_

_Learning your love language_

_I know I don't speak your language_

_But I wanna know more, baby_

Continuing to thrust, Harry and Meghan rode out their orgasms. She opened her eyes, giving Harry a peck on the chin. He smiled at her, before pulling out. Throwing the condom away, they laid on the bed, entangled in each other’s arms.

_Fluent in your love language (love)_

_Learning your love language (love, love)_

_I know I don't speak your language (no)_

_But I wanna know more, baby_

After a few minutes of silence, Meghan took it upon herself to speak.

“Tonight was …” she paused letting the thoughts form in her head.

Harry took one of her hands, kissing her fingers.

“You don’t have to say anything.”

There was quite a bit to process as everything just happened in a blink.

“Thank you for today, all of this was incredible.”

“You’re welcome. Happy Valentine’s Day Sunny.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Baby.”

Harry paused, remembering about the card he gave to Meghan earlier.

“Wait! Don’t forget to read the card I gave your earlier.”

Meghan reached for her purse by the side of the bed. Inside she grabbed the envelope.

Opening the envelope, she saw a pink card with a piece of paper carefully tucked inside.

Once she opened the letter it read:

_Hey Meghan,_

_By the time you’ve read this letter, you’re probably sick of me writing so much. However, I wanted to take the time to properly tell you thank you. Your support and encouragement has been essential. You’re always doing such sweet gestures for me. But I wanted to truly return the favor. Not once have you judged me for how I got here. All you’ve done is see me for the person I am. I’ve never had someone really take that kind of time when it came to me. When I’m with you, it’s like nothing else matters. I admire your spirit and how you’re always so positive. Your smile lights up the room. I hope that I can even do a fraction for you even beyond today. I want you to know that I’m here for you too. I’m always in awe with what you do. I’m glad that despite everything that’s happened, I met you. Here’s to more Valentine’s Days to come._

_Happy Valentine’s Day,_

_Harry_

“Harry – you …”

Harry kissed Meghan’s forehead.

“Again, you don’t have to say anything.”

Meghan shook head, as she moved closer to him. She kissed him tenderly, feeling his arms bringing her in. Tonight, was only the tip of the iceberg regarding their emotions. Everything about today was the perfect surprise. The fact that Harry planned this with such detail and thought made her happy. Sure, it’s usual for someone to do something for their partner for this holiday but having this coming from him meant a lot. The ring and note were the bow wrapped around this gift. As for the _sex_ , that was something else of it’s own. Either way, tonight was one for the books.

Drifting off to sleep, Beyoncé’s _All Night_ played softly in the background.

_All night long_

_Sweet love, all night long_

_Sweet love, all night long_

The morning after…

Harry’s eyes fluttered open. He adjusted his sight to the sun’s rays illuminating Meghan’s orange colored room. Sighing, he felt his body shiver at the realization of what occurred last night. Generally, after having sex with someone, he’d fall asleep, wake up and then go about his day. This morning he rolled over, continuing to bask in the afterglow. The pillow talk he and Meghan had last night went from conversing to sharing tender affection. Gazing over his girlfriend’s sleeping form, he took in how her body would rise and fall as she slept on. Stretching his limbs, he felt his joints crack. God for only having two rounds of sex last night, he needed to get back into shape. He sat up in bed, running his hand through his strawberry locks. Deciding to get ready for the day, he pulled open his drawer and took out a pair of sweatpants. Putting them on, he went into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

After spending a few minutes properly waking up in the bathroom, he returned to bed. He pressed a loving kiss on Meghan’s forehead. He took out his phone and scrolled on it for a few minutes. Out of all his notifications he only had one of urgency from his therapist. It said that his appointment would still be on today but at around two o’clock. Checking the time, the phone stated it was: 10:15am. All he could remember was that in the blur of last night, they went to bed at some point. Okay, let’s be real they had one last round before going to sleep. Harry moaned quietly, thinking back to the sensations. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to at least have another round before going to his session, then to work. Damn, he _needed_ it.

Meghan stirred before groaning into her pillow. Taking advantage of the situation, Harry wasted no time seductively working his mouth onto her skin. His lips lightly grazed the back of her neck, before he pressed a kiss. Moving back her hair, he started a slow trail down her back. His hands were gripping the sheets. Harry heard her moan once more, continuing his teasing. He playfully sucked at her smooth skin, leaving little kisses towards her arm. Suddenly, Meghan’s lips curved into a smile. He leaned down to kiss her cheek, before she took placed her free on his face, planting her lips onto his. She bit his bottom lip, fluttering her eyes open.

“Didn’t think I’d notice huh?”

“That was the plan, Good Morning!”

“Good Morning Baby.”

They kissed once more, with Meghan giggling before pulling away.

“You taste like my Listerine.”

Harry wriggled his eyebrows, “I may or may not have used it.”

Harry, Harry, Harry, you need to keep your own mouthwash here then!

“God, we have sex last night and now you’re living here.”

Harry pecked Meghan’s lips.

“Don’t act like _you don’t live_ at my apartment either.”

She rolled her eyes before giving him a deeper kiss.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I sure did. Last night knocked me out.”

Meghan wriggled her eyebrows, “I bet it did.”

Considering they did have some incredible sex last night, who wouldn’t be out like a light afterwards? Meghan for herself felt the remnants of it. She felt like she was on a high from everything. Who knew she’d be turned out like this? Sure, she’s had other partners but _damn_ , she hasn’t had an orgasm like the one she got in a long time. Looking Harry in the eyes, she could easily get lost in his pools of blue. His gaze left her aroused and intrigued at the same time. He often told her he was the lucky one, but she thought the same of herself regarding him. Funny, thoughtful, witty AND good in bed!? This had to be a dream. She could almost pinch herself because everything left her stunned. Glancing down at the ring on her finger, a chill went down her spine.

Harry noticed her expression, giving her a concerned look.

She shook her head, brushing off her nerves.

“I’m fine baby, don’t worry. Just admiring my ring.”

“If you want to talk about it, just let me know. Okay?”

She nodded, releasing a yawn.

“Of course. What time is it anyway?”

Harry reached for his phone, noticing that the time was now 11:45am. Jesus fucking Christ, why are there never enough hours in the day? So much for sleeping in! Meghan’s eyes widened as she remembered about two of her debates occurring this afternoon. She had only about fifteen minutes to get ready. God, how could she let herself sleep in!? How could HARRY let her sleep past her alarm!? Oh my god, now she had to come up with some sort of excuse of why she missed two of her group meetings as well. She didn’t even want to check her phone because of all the messages her group sent her about the project.

One night of sex and she’s already whiplashed into having to get her shit together.

_FUCK!_

Harry pressed his forehead against hers.

“Stop internally stressing baby girl. I’ll take care of breakfast, you just go ahead and get ready.”

She sighed, getting out of bed so she could quickly be prepared for her afternoon ahead.

Harry slipped down the hallway to the kitchen. The least he could do, as he said was make her breakfast. She may be late, but she wasn’t about to be hungry too. _Not on his watch!_ Scrambling through the refrigerator he found the different containers of food labelled for Meghan. He pulled out: eggs, green peppers, onions, ham, cheese and some garlic. Time to put his cooking skills to the test and whip up one of his mean omelets. Furiously opening the seasoning, he grabbed some: pepper flakes, parsley, and Adobo. He recalled Sunny, mentioning that this garnish was the foundation of flavorful food.

Going to work, a post-sex/out the door omelet was being made by HRH Prince Henry of Wales.

Yes, you read this correctly, the future Duke of Sussex, Captain of the Royal Marines is cooking food by himself.

Within the time he took to cook, and set the table, Meghan stumbled into the kitchen. She wore a hoodie, leggings, sneakers and her iconic messy bun. To top off her look, she had her gold hoops in and some matte lipstick on. This afternoon may have been a late start but damn, she looked good. Harry motioned for her to come and eat. Pouring out glasses of juice, he pulled out her chair before going to his seat.

“You made an omelet? Aww thank you!”

“Of course! I’m not letting my girl go hungry!”

She took one bite of her omelet and grinned.

“I get fed delicious food, and was woken up with kisses? Damn, what did I do for this?”

Harry winked at her, “You didn’t do a single thing besides just being you. I hope you have a good day.”

“I wish the same for you. Isn’t today your long shift?”

Today and tomorrow since he picked up a 10 hour shift tonight and a full day tomorrow.

Host Henry was always busy entertaining a brunch by day, then soirees by night.

“Yes, I’m just ready for all the tips to pour in. Plus, it’s fun to engage with the different parties that come in too.”

Meghan gave him a warm smile, she always liked hearing him talking about the perks of working at a restaurant.

Finishing their meal, Harry collected the plates and quickly washed them. Meghan grabbed her bags and gave him a kiss before getting ready to leave. Yet, Harry quickly takes her hand, moving her towards him. They shared another kiss and a side hug.

“Have a good day!”

“You do the same, especially with work this evening.”

Harry nodded, “Will do!”

Following breakfast, the duo parted ways. Harry returned to his apartment, basking in the delight of last night’s successes, and new beginnings. He had 90 minutes to spare before his appointment with Dr. Sirmons. Getting into the shower, he sighed feeling the warm water on his skin. Squirting some body wash into his palm, he washed off the sweat and other scents from last night. His mind couldn’t stop lingering over how he almost said _“I Love You”_ to her during it. Sure, he had the kind of moments after sex in the past where he was on a high, but he couldn’t deny that from the first time he saw her, his feelings were strong. Maybe this was a trait he inherited from his mother, a strong intuition about _love_. Still, his heart never failed him when he had such sensations.

Shaking his head, he squirted some shampoo into his hair. Running his fingers through his locks and massaging his scalp, the tension in his head released. Perhaps this love, could be merely his mind playing tricks on him. It’s not like they exactly made love. But sex with feelings was totally possible. Gosh, this was too much to comprehend right now. Harry, overthinking this will only stress you out, and make you anxious. Try to think of something else. Suppressing the emotion would make it even worse. Why did he have to be the emotional one anyway? First time having sex with Meghan and his mind is a jigsaw of emotions. Besides, being in love but still having not revealed the truth about his identity is pretty fucked up.

_You can’t have it both ways Henry._

Feeling the water turn cold, Harry bolted out of the shower. Drying himself off, he went back to his room to get dressed. Sometimes during times like these, he wished William wasn’t always at Kate’s place. That way he could pick at his brain. The last time he did anything like was when he first dated Chelsy. For a seventeen-year-old living life on the edge in Toronto, he sure has quite a bit to work out. Putting on his clothes, he checked the time seeing it was only 1:30pm. Now time to get through the nerve-wracking thirty-minute wait before getting into his routine again.

When Harry arrived at the center, he strolled down the carpeted hallway. His nerves tightened with each step. What the hell is going on with him today!? Therapy wasn’t his favorite thing in the world, but he hasn’t felt this wound up since the session they had after the holidays. _Come Harry, you should be used to this by now. You’ll be fine._ Guess old habits die, hard don’t they? His stomach churned aggressively as he sat in the chair outside of Dr. Sirmon’s office. Just one hour and things will be over with. Does he even have anything to talk about!? Does he take the Goku route and draw pictures to jog his memory of everything that happened to this point? Fucking hell, knowing him he’d blurt out “I JUST HAD SEX” as if it’s a Lonely Island music video. He slumped in his seat, letting his mind do the same mental cartwheels it did when he took a shower.

“Good Afternoon Harry, Dr. Sirmons will see you now.”

Harry snapped out of the mental circus, greeting the secretary. Following her lead, he was lead to the seat in front of his desk. Dr. Sirmons gave him an inviting smile, taking out his file with a pen. God, 58 more minutes ‘til this shit over. He sighed, trying to sit professionally in his chair. His doctor took notice, chuckling at Harry’s fidgeting.

“You can slump in your chair if you’d like.”

Harry adjusted himself in the chair, slouching a bit.

“So, Harry! It’s been a little while, how are you these days?”

Racking through the catalog he called his brain, Harry chose to string his words together vaguely.

“Pretty good, been busier! I recently got a job at a restaurant.”

Dr. Sirmons, click the roof of his mouth with his tongue.

“Good to hear! If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your job at the establishment?”

“I work as a host. I get to entertain clients and ensure their celebrations or meetings go smoothly.”

His therapist nodded, motioning for him to continue talking.

“I’ve been feeling more energized by keeping myself occupied. I don’t like to be too busy with my thoughts.”

“Because of you’re still grieving?”

“Yes and no. I just like to be active and in the company of others.”

“Do you often feel that when you’re alone, that you can’t seem to be still?”

Harry chewed the inside of his bottom lip.

“My mind tends to wander and it’s like I spiral into a series of what ifs? I did this morning.”

Oh, so you’re going to discuss your feelings towards Meghan? Harry, what’s going on in that mind of yours?

“Were you doing something at the time or just sitting?”

“I was in the shower, shampooing my head. I felt numb and my mind kept trickling through my worries.”

The prince paused, he stared at the desk in front of him, trying to once again piece his thoughts together.

“Have you thought of possibly just letting your mind wander and writing down your concerns?”

Harry had the chicken scratch of a ten-year-old, of course not!

“No.”

“Maybe next time if you feel like you’re drowning in your thoughts, just jot them down on a piece of paper or whatever’s available. Even it’s words, let them out.”

“Should I do with company around too?”

“Whatever you feel comfortable with Harry. I shouldn’t be the one answering that question.”

_He did have a point there._

Delving further into their conversation, Dr. Sirmons learned a bit more about the Prince’s whereabouts these days. Harry surely left out his _sexual escapades_ the night before, but he did briefly mention the way he surprised Meghan. The therapist took note of Harry’s brightened expressions whenever he spoke of her or anything related to her.

“You really care for her, don’t you?”

Harry’s eyes lit up, as a small smile formed on his face.

“Yeah.”

Dr. Sirmons clicked his pen, before leaving the prince with a final statement.

“From this moment forward, whatever feelings you have please make sure that you still care for yourself first.”

“Of course!”

“I’m serious Harry. It’s one thing to be in a relationship but you can’t overdo it. You still need to ensure that you focus on yourself too.”

“I understand.”

Finishing up his notes, Dr. Sirmons closed Harry’s file.

“We’ll meet again sometime next week. Maybe we’ll have a change of scenery?”

“Where were you thinking?”

“Maybe your restaurant?”

Harry raised an eyebrow, he’d never had a counseling session outside of an office before, let alone a restaurant.

“Sure.”

“See you next week!”

Your therapist is right Harry. It’s normal to have a lot of emotions, and strong feelings. However, you still have to ensure that you’re cared for too. You must be in synch with yourself before linking with others. Tread carefully and don’t make someone else your anchor for your sanity. They can support you but it’s essential to be stable within _yourself_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used in this chapter: 
> 
> Kehlani - Love Language 
> 
> Beyonce - All Night


	20. Chapter 18 - Inner Monologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Here's another update to keep you tided over until the next chapter is posted. I've decided to take a break from being involved in fandom things for a little bit. In my personal life, I have to focus on important things. However, I can't do that if I'm constantly distracted by every little thing. Of course I'll still be anticipating Baby Sussex's birth. But I'll be focusing on what's most important in my life at the moment. Don't worry, I'll continue writing in the moments I do have spared for it. Thank you for your support and comments on this story. We're still only scratching the surface of things to come including a leap in time. Sit tight, and wait for what's to come ! 
> 
> See you later !   
> \- M

One would think that while being a high-profile figure, they’d manage to keep things under wraps as much as possible right? Well, in Harry’s case, it turns out he continues to fumble around his princely status. He deliberately tries to remain as if he can hide like a chameleon. However, just like this Spring Semester is even closer to winding, so is his secret keeping from Meghan. It’s the middle of March. April was getting ready to hit Harry’s doorstep with a vengeance. He needed to get his story straight and confess to his girlfriend quickly. The press may have a deal with William, but that doesn’t mean Harry isn’t some sort of bait for them.

Even when Harry would work at the restaurant, he sometimes noticed reporters casually entering the establishment. Keeping his calm, he’d treat them like he would anyone. He’d give his best smile and give quality service. The different between himself and his brother was that everyone knew William was studying abroad at the University of Toronto. Nobody knew outside of Kate, the bodyguards and their father he was here. It’s still interesting that Harry even had his first date with Meghan so publicly KNOWING the risks of the press working against him. Yet, as he thought those many months ago, _Toronto was his playground._

But how do you simply tell your girlfriend something this life changing?

It’s time like these he wished he just told Meghan when they confessed their feelings for each other. Doing that would’ve killed this lingering scenario. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise him if Meghan knew who he really was but didn’t say anything out of respect for his privacy. Damn, this shouldn’t be so hard. Perhaps he needed to wear a sign on his head that says, “ **I’m HRH PRINCE HENRY CHARLES ALBERT DAVID OF WALES!** ” Shit at least William was able to walk across campus without getting mobbed. Then again, there was a deal made with the university’s president. If anyone leaked any of William’s whereabouts or even a rumor, they’d be expelled from the school. Harry found expulsion to be a _little_ extreme, but he understood why the rules needed to be so firm. Hell, it’s even amazing that nobody’s pulled him aside and asked him who he was. Maybe Meghan’s friends know who he is too and have also taken a vow of silence.

Snap out of that paranoia right now Harry! You set yourself up with this foolishness by hiding the core part of who you are from your partner.

Sighing, he looked at his cellphone lockscreen. The photo was of himself and Meghan doing a silly pose together. He carried her bridal style and she kissed his cheek. His eyes lingered over to the side of his bed where she slept soundly. Everything would change once he did his confession. It’s better to go ahead and do it soon. He had between now and the week of finals. Something needed to give with the truth. The last he wanted for a major scandal to blindside them both. Harry’s worst fear was the press running a disgusting article about them. He’s unfortunately used to his role as the guinea pig for media blazing, but he wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. Especially not Meghan, the media was vile and could rip someone to shreds.

He wouldn’t be able to take it if anyone hurt her in anyway. Yes, Meghan was fully capable of holding her own. BUT that didn’t dismiss Harry’s eagerness to deck another photographer in a heartbeat. He’s done it before and would do it again just for her. The journalists especially in England were nothing but scum. Sure, he tolerated Omid, but the bar for decent journalism was low in his book. Leaning over to her side of the bed, he wrapped her arms around her. He felt her shift slightly and relax into his arms.

_All he wanted was to soak in moments like these before things really change. He liked being just “Harry Wales.”_

Yet, he knew for himself that reality checks wait for no one.

Who would he be fooling trying to act is if he had all the time in the world? Dr. Sirmons was right and he knew it for himself. Trying to care for someone while not dealing with your own issues was wrong. He owed it to Meghan for her safety, and best interests to know the truth. It’s time like these he wished that his privilege didn’t have to be such a hindrance in certain scenarios. Of course, he understood, he could use his platform for good. Yet, there was a selfish part inside of him that would rather be normal. But what good would it do to just be stuck with wishful thinking. He couldn’t control what he was born into!

Still, having a sense of transparency about himself to her would be the best way to ease her into changes that were going to happen. The school year would still end, he’d be back in England. She’d be home in California. Better to do it now than to just continue hiding everything. His mind continued to go into an endless loop of emotions. Back and forth, he fought with himself over the best way to approach this. No matter how much he tried to fight it, time wouldn’t care. Only fools wait for the best opportunity, wise men take advantage of the time available. It’s now or never, Harry. Make your choice once and for all.

 _Keep on doin’ doin’ what you do_ or wind up hurting not only yourself but Meghan too in the end.

“Don’t fuck this up Harry.”

Your mind is right on this, and you know it Harry. Indecisiveness causes procrastination which leads to panicking. Once you panic, you’re unable to think things through clearly and it clouds your judgement. Don’t let your mind be strayed by your fears or worries. There’s already too much to lose by continuing down this path of complacency.

“No backing out now! It’s time to do this right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep On Doin' is a song by the Korean Singer - Luna https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tid92m4jhkw


	21. Chapter 19 - Confessions

Nothing could prepare Meghan for the blow she felt leaving Harry’s apartment this evening. Her body ached with disbelief, and anxiousness. How the fuck does someone you think you know turn out to be a completely different person. Okay, scratch that, it was still Harry, but he just hid who he was. There’s no cushion, surface, or safety net for the emotions rattling in her mind. She felt as if her heart was shot with a bullet. Like her chest became hollow yet numb at the same time. Taking in a breath, she barely heard Harry calling her while she walked towards her elevator. Tears slowly streamed down her face while she tried to compose herself. Once the elevator opened, she sat there attempting to string it all together.

Harry, no – _Prince Harry of Wales_ , was the person she is dating and has slept with, yet he never told her. Her mind continued to replay the events of today as they occurred. What in the actual fuck is going on?! There’s truly no logical explanation for all of this. Of course, she knew who the British Princes were. Don’t get her wrong, but something just didn’t click between William or Harry at all when she met them. Honestly, she knew about William attending the college, but she didn’t look too much into it. Mostly old people or the aristocrats paid attention to the royals, not the youth. Meghan was just an American university student on scholarship studying abroad. She didn’t think she’d be dating let alone this intimate with a prince.

This shit is getting too deep.

Everything happened so fast, yet her mind kept replaying it.

Harry watched as Meghan’s footsteps move swiftly. He sighed, knowing well that he truly flipped the script with this. Yet, he convinced himself that there was no other choice on how to come clean with his confession of being a prince. Better to do it now than for anything else to happen. Sure, this was brutal to hide something from the person he _loved_ \- yes, he allowed himself to accept that fact. However, the fact remains, Meghan has every right towards her emotions. It’s not easy for someone to just completely grasp that one minute they’re with someone they think is normal versus them being a prince. Generally, it causes quite a shock to the system. Harry anticipated the reaction could easily go south but he did what he had to.

It doesn’t mean he had to keep the secret from her, though.

_Earlier in the day …_

Today was as normal as it could’ve been. Harry went to work, and Meghan attended her classes along with rehearsal. Beneath the surface Harry continued to contemplate his decision. Going through various customers during his shift, he managed to text Meghan during his break. Keeping things simple all he said was “ _We need to talk_.” Shutting his phone off, he continued entertaining guests. He shoved those nerves of his into one of the many doors in his mind. Putting on a performative smile, Harry assumed an aura of confidence and whimsical tendencies. Yet, he knew deep down shoving those nerves away could only do so much.

Once his shift ended, Harry returned to his apartment quickly changing into his sweats. When he turned his phone back on, he saw Meghan’s message. She replied letting him know she’d stop by a little later in the evening. Pacing around the apartment he contemplated how to even break this news to her. William’s always lucky when it comes to this kind of stuff because he’s never hidden his identity from someone ~~(unless you count the time he pretended to be homeless for a project)~~. Just a few more minutes and she’d be here. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four …

His mind raced towards thinking of how to even utter his explanation of how the hell he, the spare of the heirs hid in plain sight. Suddenly he heard the familiar sound of footsteps racing towards his apartment. He felt his throat tighten as Meghan’s knocking rapped against the door. Harry took a breath, using his legs to carry him towards the apartment’s entrance. Pulling himself together one last time, he exhaled slowly, while opening the door. He saw Meghan’s concerned expression on her face. Trying to keep himself intact, he gave her a warm hug. She reciprocated the gesture. He shouldn’t be this emotional, but he knew nothing could properly prepare anyone for the kind of news he had for her. God, he wished there was an easier way to have done this.

Meghan took a good look at her boyfriend, noticing his uneasiness.

“What’s wrong? You don’t look okay baby.”

Harry bit the inside of his lip before kissing her forehead softly.

“I’ll explain everything just come and sit.”

The couple sat together on the sofa, while Harry worked on stringing his words together. Unable to keep himself sitting still, he paced a little while going into the kitchen to get Meghan some wine. Lord knows she’d need it after this confession was going to come out. Harry, you need to stop fidgeting around and just get on with it. There’s no reason you need to be running around, causes a bundle of tightened nerves for something you can just spit out!

SPIT IT OUT HARRY!

Harry returned to the living room, glasses in hand ready to pour the wine.

Meghan noticed his attempt to at stalling and shook her head.

“Baby, I know you’re trying to _dodge_ whatever you need to tell me. What’s going on?”

The prince froze placed the glasses and the bottle of alcohol on the table.

“I don’t even know how to even tell you this.”

“Tell me what?”

Harry inhaled once more, taking his time to string together a coherent sentence.

“Meghan, I’m not really who you think I am.”

Meghan raised an eyebrow, staring into Harry’s eyes with disbelief.

“Wait, what do you mean!??!”

He took a quiet sip of wine before answering.

“All of the things I’ve told you about myself in regard to my life are true _but_ I left out a very important detail.”

Her eyes followed the expression his face, trying to understand what he was getting at.

“My name is Harry, but my real name is Prince Henry of Wales.”

The Californian beauty felt as if she was going to be sick. What in the hell was Harry talking about!? Is he pulling at her leg!? There’s no way in hell he could be the Prince of Wales. He doesn’t even look like Prince Harry. How the fuck did he manage to go so undetected from the media if he’s some sort of a prince. This has to be a joke because what _Prince of England_ would even THINK of dating an average university student from the United States of America. Also, HOW does Prince William’s little brother not be noticed by regular people, or even acknowledged during the number of VERY PUBLIC dates they’ve had.

Meghan’s world as she knew it suddenly flipped itself over.

Trying to compartmentalize the information she received, she carefully minced her words together.

“What you’re telling me is that as a Prince of Wales, you kept a key piece of information from me!?”

“Meghan, just let me explain.”

Her eyebrows furrowed into an expression of disbelief and hurt.

“What’s there to explain Harry? You completely left me in the dark of who you were! I don’t know what the water is like in England, but you don’t leave your girlfriend completely out of the loop like this.”

“I get that you’re upset but I did this to protect you!”

Meghan felt her throat tighten. Who sits there and inadvertently lies to your face by withholding information like this under the guise of protection!? This doesn’t make any sense at all. Wouldn’t you just tell the person you’re dating from the start. She isn’t going crazy, is she?! This is still too much to digest in one go.

“PROTECT ME!?”

Her voice cracked, as she gripped her knees.

“Yes.”

“Don’t start with that. Who are you trying to protect because this isn’t how it works? How do you date someone, sleep with them and then tell them your identity when it’s convenient for you!? Should I just tell you everything I want you to hear about my life and leave things out until it’s easier to inform you!? Where’s the _transparency_?”

"Meghan it's not like that at all!"

"From what I see, I was just here because it was easy for you. How am I supposed to trust you if you think protecting me is keeping secrets?"

"This isn't just information you just dump onto someone out of nowhere! I had to think carefully."

"Harry we've been dating for HOW LONG now!? It's literally about to be MAY, and finals are right around the corner. Do you really not consider me to be your serious girlfriend? Am I just a booty call? You can tell me."

"No! I love you and you know that."

"You don't tell the person you love the information you should have established from the beginning!"

"Meghan you have to understand the media is vicious and if they find out about us and OUT US it'll be a mess."

Meghan shrugged shaking her head.

"Should’ve thought of that before dating me huh?"

She heard Harry's "I Love You" but opted to dodge it. They hadn't even actually said it to each other prior to this point. Did Meghan love Harry, absolutely but this situation wasn't sitting well with her at all. How do you love someone you don't even know? She felt her stomach tighten with every minute spent sitting in his apartment. Looking around, she could remember the different surfaces where they were intimate privately. Those times when Harry wasn't known as the Prince. Nothing could stop the hurt she felt inside. Honestly should could throw up just thinking back to all the things they did while he suppressed himself from her.

Harry tried to interject working towards explaining, but Meghan wasn’t in the mindset to even listen.

“Don’t even try to explain yourself, your actions enough speak louder than words.”

“Meghan if you would just ...”

“Do you honestly think that I would have cared about whether or not you were a prince when it comes to being with you? Answer me.”

“It’s not so much about caring it’s about your safety!”

Meghan cocked her head to the side, waiting for Harry to somehow run that response by her again.

“Run that by me again please?”

“What I mean is that, regardless of whether you cared about my princely status the point is, you’re a regular person. You get to go outside when you want to freely, do whatever you’d like, and not worry about being in some fish bowl!”

“FREELY!? I’m not some person who _happened_ to be born lucky and in the lap of luxury like you! Do you even hear yourself right now? You don’t even care about the mere fact that you being prince doesn’t even matter about how I feel about you?”

“To answer your question, I do think you would have cared. This is a major life change for anyone.”

“You’re always talking about how we’re a team **_BUT_** you automatically have one doubt in your head and run with it!?”

Meghan ran her hands through her hair trying to keep herself together before continuing her statement.

“I don’t know what hurts more, the fact that you’re even doubting my feelings or how you kept such a secret from me. I guess that besides myself not knowing you, it seems you misunderstand me and my intentions. I’ll make this easier for you, I’ll just go.”

Harry tried to reach out for Meghan’s hand, but she moved away from him.

“I need time to myself to figure things out because none of this is making sense. Good thing finals will be here soon. At least once Summer begins you won’t have anymore doubts.”

He couldn’t even respond to what she was saying, everything just hurt. Harry knew he fucked up but damn, her words didn’t even cut they just left him with jabs to his heart. It’s not that he didn’t care or want to keep hiding he wanted her to still be safe. All he wanted was for her to still be able to do the things she does freely. He figured that by leaving out his royalty status it would be easier to just date her openly that way. Still, no matter how much he denied there being any act of selfishness involved, lying to your partner is horrendous but hiding the very core of who you are is gut-wrenching.

How does he expect her to feel as if he’s sitting there just blatantly being vague? Meghan doesn’t deserve someone that sits there and just willingly hides who they are. Transparency is the foundation of any relationship. For there to be trust, intimacy, and friendship you have to know the person. Yet, he figured by cutting corners he could still get those parts of the relationship. He not only played Meghan for a fool; he manipulated the situation for his benefit. The most disappointing part of all is that he thinks protecting the person he _loves_ requires secrecy. When you love someone, you and that person are authentic with each other. Sure, there are some things you keep to yourself but the core of who you are can’t be hidden.

_This isn’t even about titles, it’s the fact that Harry completely disregarded that Meghan’s feelings for him were entirely genuine._

Watching her leave, he noted how her face turned cold. She walked down the hallway slowly wiping a tear that streamed down her cheek. There’s no way that someone could rationally explain the shit Harry just pulled. How does one sit there, and court you but then just turn around and confess something this major!? Once Meghan reached the elevator, she slumped down against the wall. Her head was spinning as she heard her phone ring. Looking at the caller ID she saw it was Harry, but she ignored it. 

When she reached her apartment, she heard Alicia Key’s Fallin playing inside. Letting herself in, she nodded along to the music trying to somehow get her mind from it tonight. However, instead of her mind generally filing things away it continued to replay. Continuing her sluggish walk into her room, she felt herself feeling grimy. Still, she had to study for her finals. Besides, these past few weeks didn’t care if her “boyfriend” or whatever he is right now completely threw her for a loop. Life had to go on, and she needed to focus on something, _anything_!

Lounging in her beanbag chair, she thought back to when she and Harry slept together for the first time in her on Valentine’s Day. Sure, it was cheesy and cliché as fuck but the thought behind it was sweet. She could remember just feeling every sensation as he tended to her body. Throwing a pillow against the wall, she shuddered at the lingering of her just being easy in his eyes. No way in hell was she like that all. Still, to think that all those feelings in that moment were probably not even of any meaning at all, disgusted her. Even thinking beyond sex, was she just some sort of pity project or something? The second son of the heir to the British throne just decided that out of all the girls he could have dated, she was his choice!? What kind of madness was this!?

Damn, this really was fucked up.

Meanwhile at Harry’s house …

Harry heard William’s familiar keys jingling in the keyhole. He quickly turned on the television pretending to watch a CW program. His brother walked into the living room, giving him a look of suspicion. William tossed him a bag of McDonald’s and joined him on the couch. Harry opened, wasting no time to eat the burger. His eyes focused on the screen before him, trying to absorb the plot of this week’s episode of Riverdale. From the looks of it, Betty learned of her father’s death from Veronica, and she has essentially lost everyone in her corner ~~(minus Jughead of course).~~ William took note of his brother’s silence waiting for him to break it.

He decided not to ask her what was wrong, because it seemed something serious happened.

Harry continued staring blankly at the television. Meghan’s word continued to swirl around in his mind. He fiddled with the bracelet she gave him for Christmas, sighing. Noticing William’s glance over in his direction, the ginger gave him a weak smile. William raised his eyebrow, lingering over his brother’s features. Something was up, and he was going to find out. There’s no way his obnoxious little brother would be sticking his head in the sand. He hasn’t seen him THIS quiet since their mother passed. In fact, he did saw Meghan in tears earlier. Did something happen between them? Harry turned towards him, shooting him a look of confusion. William rolled his eyes, of course Henry would manage to do hurt her. He could sense the guilt and worry all over his body.

“Harry, what did you do now?”

Harry shrugged off the conversation, munching on his fries.

“That’s none of your concern.”

“Funny because seeing Meghan crying down the hallway is concerning to me. What did you do?”

“How about you mind your own business and leave me alone?”

William scoffed, taking a sip of his soda.

“I know you better than anyone else. What kind of fuck up happened?”

“You really want to know?”

“Obviously!”

No way in hell was the heir going to take no for an answer. Harry certainly did something to hurt Meghan and he’s going to find out. There’s no way in hell someone as bright and bubbly as her could leave their apartment looking so distraught unless Harry did his worst. Sure, this may cause William to look like an asshole, but he truly wanted to gather some information. He could use Harry’s misfortunes to his advantage of giving unsolicited advice to him. Keeping his calm, he probed a bit further.

“So, what you’re telling me is that everything is absolutely fine?”

“Absolutely.”

“Bullshit! You completely stunned Meghan with your confession of being a Prince, didn’t you?”

“William this really isn’t any of your business to begin with!”

“You’re damn right it IS my business. You really think being an asshole to Meghan is going to save your ass!? Let me guess you used the ‘I’m only trying to protect you’ card, right?”

Harry inhaled slowly before engaging with his brother in this meaningless discussion. William was the LAST person he wanted to talk to about any of this. All William knows how to do is act like an insensitive prick towards anyone’s misfortunes. He only cares about self-preservation and he already knew where this would try to go.

“Funny because I learned these tricks of the trade from you. Aren’t these the kind of words you’d use when you manipulate Kate to stay with you, while you’re off fucking Rose?”

“First of all, I can _keep_ a committed relationship Harry. At least I’m open and upfront unlike someone who thinks pretending he’s not a Prince of the British royal family.”

“If you of all people are somehow able to keep a committed relationship it’s because you basically had Rose blackmail Kate and use her aristocratic connections against her. Don’t come for me when I didn’t send for you.”

“And you don’t think Meghan is hurt thinking she wasn’t somehow used to fuel your social experiment of hiding in plain sight?”

 "That's rich coming from the man who's girlfriend had to come all the way to Toronto to make sure you aren't fucking Cara Delevingne with the good brows."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree Harry. Don't act like you're any better than me!"

"This isn't even about being better than you. At least I have the decency to want my girlfriend to still maintain her normal life as much as she can. What other choice did I have than to withhold the information during the first few months of dating. UNLIKE YOU where you love seeing the press coddle you at the expense of others, I prefer to keep things private."

"But was it really worth keeping Meghan in the dark?"

"I wasn't going to continue keeping her there!"

"That's a goddamned lie and you know it."

"You think you know everything about me, but you don't."

"You're absolutely right because the Harry I know wouldn't just brush something off like this. Especially not when he KNOWS how much he loves his girlfriend."

"With your scandalous ways, _love_ isn't even a word in your vocabulary. As pa would say 'Whatever THAT means'."

William stepped closer to Harry trying to intimidate him.

“If I were you, I’d work my best to fix this before things get even worse.”

“The only thing that needs to be fixed around here is your failure to keep your penis in your pants.”

“Harry I’m serious. You better make up with Meghan or something.”

“How about you let me handle my own business before I use your potential outbreak scandal against you.”

Harry exhaled, sluggishly entering his bedroom. There was no excuse or proper explanation towards his actions earlier today. He knew for himself, what he did to Meghan was unacceptable. It hurt him to even have to confess the truth of his identity. However, the amount of hurt he felt couldn’t even compare to Meghan’s chest pounding anxiousness and sadness. Harry had to find a way to make things right and work to repair the damage. It’s unrealistic to think it could happen overnight, but he was determined to salvage what was left of their relationship. He owed Meghan a proper explanation. His head hurt just thinking about how he’d even begin to approach this.

For starters, time and absence does heal some wounds.

Maybe for now it was just best to not talk to her and respect her space to process everything leading up to this point.

Besides, you can’t just flesh all of your feelings out when everything still feels so raw.

Only time will tell.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to give some detail on the in-story, hidden affair of William and Rose. Rose in the story (as in real life) is one of Kate's best friends. She is also in Toronto. Prior to their study abroad program acceptance to the University of Toronto, she and William began their affair about two years into his relationship with Kate. Rose has information and social leverage over Kate and isn't afraid to use it. Similarly to William, she is manipulative and uses her social standings to bend the rules how she sees fit. Originally, William was gone because he would often spend the night with Kate in her apartment. However, he tends to divide his time between Kate and Rose. Harry figures it out pretty easily because when he's with either one of them he has a distinct personality trait that comes out. The reason why William and Rose's affair has remained successful is because William is the one calling the shots and can easily have both Rose and Kate removed from the circle. He is able to have his cake and still eat it too.


	22. Author's Note - An Update

Hi everyone

It's your resident writer nutmegofsussex. It's been two months since I last updated this fanfiction. Currently, I am taking _my time_ with writing this story. I haven't abandoned it  ~~(though I will admit that lately I've been a little detatched from it)~~. However, I am in the midst of break due to burn out. To give you all an estimate of how much I've written on my Microsoft Word document it's exactly **282** pages of text. As for the word count I am at **73, 901**. Now don't get me wrong, fanfiction writing is a lot of fun. I do enjoy the universe I've built for Meghan and Harry in this story. Yet, I need some time to recharge my batteries and get inspired once again. I feel like I've hit a bit of a wall with this fanfiction and I don't want to end up not giving this story the quality it deserves.

Please understand that outside of this story I do have a life. 

I want to approach this story with the same enthusiasm and energy I had first entering it. There's still so much territory to cover and we're only almost 50% of the way into it. Some things may be _changing_ as well too. I've contemplated changing the timeline from what I originally started with. Once everything falls into place and I'm ready to tackle the material at hand I will. Until then, just sit back, relax and wait patiently while I tap into my mind to map out the rest of it. 

 

Until the next update,   
  
\- nutmegofsussex 

 


	23. Chapter 20 - Exhale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone ! I decided to split Meghan and Harry's talk into two chapters instead of just one. I originally wanted this to be one long chapter but it was daunting trying to work it out. Splitting it is easier, and it gives me more time to really flesh out everything Harry tells Meghan. Please bare with me as I continue working on this. Funnily enough, in my head the dialogue I pictured was much easier in there, than it is writing it. Still, I hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> \- M
> 
> P.S. I'm still on a break. This was just the 55% written prior to me deciding to step away.

The end of April came at painfully tedious pace. Harry was busy continuing to work at the restaurant and attending his therapy sessions. Meghan finished her end of semester papers for International Relations. Her focus then shifted to ensuring she had her lines polished for the spring thespian festival. Neither of them have spoken since Harry’s confession those few weeks ago. Their once high strung snapchat streak ceased, those cheesy texts or cute facetime calls were no more. Harry wanted nothing more but to make things right but alas Meghan still needed time. It hurt his heart knowing he couldn’t even do anything in this moment. Meghan on the other hand completely channeled her frustration and numbness into working. There’s no time to be hung up on some boy.

Her motto; _dick is abundant, no need to be idle._

For the most part, she moved in silence acting as if he didn’t even exist. She knew summer was coming and never had she yearned so much for vacation to come before. The less she had to deal with that secretive son of a bitch, the better. Yet, she’d be lying is she said she didn’t at least miss him a little. Still, she refused to succumb to those lingering feelings. The fact remained, he kept a secret from her and tried to do things based on his own motives. Nothing could make up for that. In fact, she’s even hesitant to even trust him after this. The anger and anxiousness came in episodes of internalized thoughts.

She came to University to study, enjoy her time abroad, **not** deal with shit like this!

_Why did men have to be such trash?_

Harry checked his watch, only two more hours until closing. Picking up the remaining dishes on the table, he worked with haste to get them back to the kitchen. After washing his hands, he put his game face on once again to serve more customers. Funny how at first, he got this job as a streak of proving independence to his father, and to save pocket money to spend on his dates with Meghan. Now he just focuses on work to keep his mind from drifting into the repeated scenario of their fight. Sure, you’d expect that he’d just shove everything into the back of his mind and keep his head in the sand. But he couldn’t even do simply that. Even during his therapy sessions with Dr. Sirmons, he’d sit in his chair completely blanking out. In this moment with the string of customers coming through the door, he snapped out of his daydream. Two more hours to go, might as well make the best of it.

“Good evening and welcome to our fine establishment.”

_What he didn’t expect was getting a surprise guest._

Meghan paced around the outside of the restaurant. Her castmates made the decision to celebrate their upcoming show _Tangled_ by dinning at the restaurant Harry worked in. Just her luck, she’d see her boyfriend that she isn’t talking to. As much as she felt tempted to just say no and make up some excuse that she couldn’t go, she decided to go anyway. Things still need to proceed like normal in some aspect. Yet she couldn’t help but feel all these flutters just at the thought of seeing Harry working this evening’s shift. Prior to Harry’s confession, they knew each other’s schedules somewhat well since they worked in their quality time around it. She might as well go ahead and take her seat while she waits for everyone else to arrive.

Harry noticed a familiar messy bun from the window. His heart skipped a beat wondering if it was Meghan. Man, it’d really be something if she happened to be coming in. Get a grip Henry Charles Albert David! Anyone can come into this establishment. You don’t own the place and you certainly can’t get overly excited over someone that happens to look similarly to Meghan from their hair alone! He noticed the person turn around and enter the restaurant. Making his way over his hosting station, he snuck in a glance to see if it really was her. Lo and behold, there she was looking as beautiful as ever. He felt his stomach churn aggressively with every second he stood there trying to force his effortless introduction to her.

_Why does this have to be so difficult?_

When Meghan boldly entered the restaurant, she stood face to face with her complicated boyfriend. Just as she predicted, he’d be right there. Can her castmates please hurry up so she doesn’t have to string words together? Their eye contact shifted slightly before she struck the nerve to continue being direct. Maybe it was his slightly uncomfortable movements but this is just as awkward for her. They hadn’t spoken to each other in over two weeks. Now that they’re in a public place for the first time in a while, the anxiousness gradually increased. Harry quickly bounced back giving her a small smile.

“Good Evening to you! Welcome to our fine establishment. Are you our final reservation of the night?”

Meghan nodded, returning the professional gesture of smiling.

“Yes, I’m here early but currently waiting for the rest of my party to get here.”

“That’s quite alright! Why don’t we go ahead and get you settled into a booth then?”

“I’d like that.”

They quietly walked towards the booth, while Meghan took in the sights and décor of the restaurant. He wasn’t kidding when he said he snagged a decent hosting gig at upper echelon place. The irony of this is that he promised to treat her to dinner here several times before. Yet, she didn’t expect the time they’re here together is when he’s working and she’s celebrating wrapping rehearsals. Life has an interesting way of working out huh. Internally sighing, she settled into the booth he presented to her.

“When the rest of your party arrives, I’ll escort them here. Is there anything you’d need in the meantime while you’re settled miss?”

_You?_

Harry noted her hesitation in responding to his question.

“Alright. When everyone arrives, I’ll be back to check on all of you.”

Meghan watched him enter the kitchen. Turning her head, she saw her castmates entering the restaurant. She waved her hands in their direction, so they’d join her at the table. Her tall friend ‘Gina’ saw her and brought everyone over towards her. Once they all gathered together, they happily discussed their excitement towards opening night. Meghan smiled taking in all the joy around her. Quickly getting into the conversation, she shared her thoughts about her gratitude towards becoming the lead actress in the play. She worked her hardest during the fall semester to preparing for her audition in January. When she got the role, her hard work never faltered. You want a sweet yet innocent Rapunzel, you’ve got it. These past few months were exhausting but the work surely paid off. Opening night was going to be great, mistakes, mishaps and all.

How they managed to pull off rehearsing and fully staging this musical within three months was a miracle within itself.

Harry quickly returned noticing how quickly the booth filled up. Doing a mental headcount, he knew he’d be hosting 15 people tonight. Walking over to the table, he quickly went ahead taking orders. The faster this shift went, the closer he’d get to going home. Once more he put his game face on and approached Meghan’s table. He stomach continued doing backflips while he gave the guests a winning smile. Breaking the ice, he introduced himself to everyone.

“Good Evening everyone! My name is Harry and I’ll be taking care of you all tonight.”

“Hi Harry!”

Meghan glanced in his direction before averting her gaze towards the menu.

Harry cleared his throat, deciding to get everyone started with something.

“What would you all like to start with? Appetizers? Drinks?”

A tall girl with dark skin spoke up first, from what he overhead earlier her name was ‘Gina’.

“Why don’t we start with the appetizers?”

A shorter guy, almost as pale as Harry himself responded to Gina’s comment.

“I don’t know. Maybe we should just get drinks first?”

Meghan tapped her fingers on the table turning to everyone else for an idea before chiming in.

“Why not both?”

Everyone turned towards her direction nodding eagerly, then facing Harry.

The prince took note, asking them what they’d like.

“We’d like to start with the fried calamari basket, and an assortment of drinks.”

Harry wasted no time jotting down the orders, ensuring he got everything exactly as each party guest wanted it. He glanced over in Meghan’s direction, giving her a small smile before returning to the kitchen. The prince could literally feel his heart pounding out of his chest. Honestly, he didn’t know how the hell he’d be getting through this night. So much for putting on a brave face huh? He felt like he barely had his head above the surface with his nerves, and remorse.  Just a few more hours and he’d get to bury his head into his sand like he wanted to.

Let’s be realistic here Henry, it’s not that you want but you feel like there’s no other way to go about this.

But if you take the time to talk with her and explain yourself, things will get better.

After getting the appetizers back to the table, Harry went ahead getting all the orders. Trying his hardest not to give Meghan too much eye contact, he could feel Patrick and Abigail’s eyes on him. _Those were their names, right?_ He remembered seeing them at Meghan’s Friendsgiving last year. He really hated his incredible visual memory because this is the worst time to remember something so irrelevant. Giving his guests a small smile, he scurried back to the kitchen, sliding the receipt at the chef’s station.

Meghan noticed Harry’s hurried body language. In their moment of brief eye contact as he asked her for her order, she could sense his anxiousness. She sighed, taking a sip of her alcohol. Maybe the sweet flavored liquor would drown out her thoughts about him. Continuing to lightly munch on the fried calamari, she pretended to pay attention to Abigail’s comments in the conversation. She casually slipped deeper into her own thoughts, reeling at her mind replaying that night once more.

_“You’re always talking about how we’re a team BUT you automatically take one doubt in your head and run with it!?”_

_Meghan ran her hands through her hair trying to keep herself together before continuing her statement._

_“I don’t know what hurts more, the fact that you’re even doubting my feelings or how you kept such a secret from me. I guess that besides myself not knowing you, it seems you misunderstand me and my intentions. I’ll make this easier for you, I’ll just go.”_

From the moment she left Harry’s apartment she tried to process everything. Within these past 16 days of not contacting him, just seeing him gave her a slight urge to talk to him. Not saying she forgave him, but perhaps they could discuss this once more. However, it didn’t change how much he hurt her. Glancing across the restaurant she saw Harry walking towards their table with two other hosts carrying trays of food. Their eyes met and she quickly looked away. She almost wanted to crawl out of her skin with her current state of emotions.

“Food’s ready!”

Harry, and the other hosts gave her table a beautiful presentation. They passed the plates around ensuring that each meal goes to the correct person. The prince held Meghan’s plate placing it before her. He look down at the food before turning his attention to the entire party. Giving them a winning grin, he wished them well with their meal. Gathering his serving tray, he went to the kitchen so he could prep for any refills. Before he went through the double doors, he gave Meghan another glance.

_At least she’s enjoying herself._

Damn, he missed her a lot! Come on universe can’t you at least set up a situation where they can finally talk at least!?!?

_Ask and you shall receive Henry, not to worry._

A little later ….

Harry returned to the table, getting ready to calculate and collect the checks. He thanked everyone for coming out tonight. Gritting his teeth, he honestly felt like he could die. This shift was the hardest one he’s had. Coming from someone who usually tackles guests with 30 or more people for dinner, this should’ve been easy. Still, he was distracted by Meghan. Luckily, he managed to remain professional. At least with this shift over, all he had to was lock up the restaurant then go home. The quicker he made it back to his apartment to pretend like tonight never happened, the better.

Yet, there was Meghan was still at the table as if she was waiting for him.

The prince finished calculating totals and getting his tip. Once he was done, he quickly changed then grabbed his coat. Once he exited the changing area, he walked right into Meghan. His heart skipped several beats as he tried to pretend, she wasn’t there. Who would he fooling though? Looks like the universe gave him an opportunity to talk to her. Might as well take it right?

Harry gazed over Meghan’s outfit and looks. Gosh, she looked stunning tonight. It’s amazing he didn’t wind up staring at her during his shift. Meghan took in Harry’s transformation from smiley host to just Harry himself. The silence between them was imminent. Over two weeks of not speaking and here they were. Someone needed to say something.

ANYTHING!

“Interesting seeing you here tonight.”

Of course, it’d be Harry to break the silence.

“Guess these coincidences don’t just happen, do they?”

Meghan bit the inside of her lip while averting her gaze towards the painting on the wall. Harry sighed, trying to continue the conversation. God, this was his girlfriend he’s talking to. He needed to just go ahead and spit it out.

SPIT IT –

“Harry, we need to talk.”

_Harry, say something!_

"There are things I need to discuss with you."

Meghan blinked, nodding her head.

Continuing Harry offered for their intimate conversation to take place at his apartment.  Meghan disagreed choosing her apartment instead. Even if Harry's apartment is emptier, she preferred just doing it at her place. That way they could talk without any distractions. Besides, Serena and Priyanka will be gone for a bit due to end of year commitments. 

"My place would be better.  Meet me there in fifteen?"

Harry agreed, and decided to go their separate ways.  The prince watched his girlfriend exit the restaurant while he closed shop. In fifteen minutes, he'd be sitting in her living room, telling her the truth about everything. While he felt those familiar jitters that he had confessing about his identity, some how he felt a sense of relief. He’s grateful in knowing they’ll be able to communicate and clear the air once and for all.

“See you in fifteen.”

It’s interesting how time can seem to either flash forward or move at an agonizing pace. For Meghan and Harry’s time remained at a standstill. Meghan took an uber back to the university apartment, letting her mind marinate. When the driver pulled into the residence life parking lot, she withdrew from her thoughts. Thanking the driver, she exited the vehicle. Making her way upstairs she wasted no time getting to her apartment at her own pace. The minute she arrived, she quickly let herself inside. Harry opted to walk to Meghan’s apartment from the restaurant. With each step he took, his heart continued beating rapidly. All he could do was continue walking. Even if it meant begrudgingly accepting that despite his nerves, talking to her is the best thing he could do.

Besides, he did ask the universe to grant him a scenario to put the wheels into action.

_Tonight, he’d finally get to give Meghan a proper explanation towards his motives and apologize properly._

Turning the corner of the street, he made it to the resident life parking lot. Slowing his steps down, he didn’t want to come off as too eager. Plus, he made a complete fool of himself at the restaurant tonight with his nerves taking over his frame of mind. Inhaling slowly, he felt his legs carry him through the lobby. The last time he felt such a weight prior to his confession was during Friendsgiving. He recalled how he pasted himself against the walls of the hallway, becoming completely pale. William had to peel him from the bulletin boards, much to his annoyance. This evening, instead of entering a party and ending the night with a kiss, he’d be going in to have a serious conversation with Meghan. No first kisses or that flutter of romantic feelings would be in the air.

Immediately upon arriving at Meghan’s door, he decided to text her instead of promptly knocking. He couldn’t even tell if it had been fifteen minutes or more. Honestly, he just wanted to get this over with so he could go to bed. The faster time could go, the more he wouldn’t have to reek with the guilt that plagued him for a little while. Pulling out his phone he quickly opened the chat he and Meghan used. Not wasting a second, he quickly sent her a message informing her that he arrived.

At the same time, our Californian sunshine had finished taking a shower. She changed into a t-shirt and a comfortable pair of sweatpants. Drying her hair with a towel, she tied it up while placing a towel over her shoulders to catch any stray water. Her phone buzzed at the right moment. She saw Harry’s nickname flicker across the screen with a text informing her, he was at the door. Her slender fingers went to work replying as quickly as she could. Meghan felt her heart flutter; she hadn’t had such a sensation in a while. Huffing, she went ahead to answer the front door.

Opening the door, there her _“boyfriend”_ was in his anxiety ridden glory.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

If the tension got any thicker than it was, a butter knife could cut through it.

_This was going to be a long night._

Meghan motioned for Harry to sit on the couch. She sat across from him on the other side. They gazed into each other’s eyes, waiting for the other to speak. Harry fiddled with his hands, exhaling before starting to speak. Her eyes shifted towards one of the pillows, while the prince tried to find the words to break the silence. The American beauty ran her fingers through her hair tying it into a messy bun, waiting for him to collect his thoughts.

“Meghan, what I’m about to tell you …”

Their eyes met once more.

“It’s a lot to even explain at once. However, I don’t expect any sympathy. What I did regarding how I just dropped the truth about my identity onto you wasn’t okay. I know what you’re thinking _‘Well why did you do it anyway?’_ Once I explain everything, maybe it’ll make sense.”

Meghan shrugged her shoulders. What could she possibly loose from clarifying what he said?

“What’s there to lose with your explanation?  Go ahead.”

Harry winced as her words, had a twinge of pricks laced within them. Damn, she had a way with words.

“Alright well, I was born on September 15th, 19” - he looked over to see Meghan shaking her head.

“Harry …”

“Okay no more jokes. This isn’t the time for them anyway.”

Meghan nodded waiting for him to get serious with what he needed to say.

 

_To be continued ..._


	24. Chapter 21 - Halfcrazy

“As a kid, I always knew about my royal status. Hell, how wouldn’t I have known? From the minute I was born I literally lived my life on display for veering eyes to see. My parents were in such a toxic relationship, my mother had to overcompensate for not always being around during the divorce. Being a prince, it also limited how I was able to truly live my life too. At an early age, my mother made sure to instill in us how others lived compared to our privilege. In all honestly, I envied them because they had a sense of freedom, I’d never have behind palace walls.”

He paused, taking a breath before continuing. Harry knew that what he’d get into next would surely cross into a therapist boundary zone. Yet, his gut just told him to go forward with it. Besides, she’s the reason behind his choices to become so protective of Meghan. He couldn’t protect his mother, but he could at least keep his girlfriend safe in some respects. Meghan twiddled her thumbs waiting in silence for Harry to continue. Something was troubling him, and she sensed it immediately. Whatever it was, hopefully he could figure out how to address it.

Harry strung his words together like beads on a thread and proceeded to continue his statement.

“However, despite being inside the fishbowl and looking outward to a sea of people, I knew I’d never be normal. Before dating you, I often just shoved those feelings aside and used my status to maneuver through people and even scenarios. Yet, when I started dating you, I realized what worked within the social circle I’m from, doesn’t work when dating a normal person.”

The freckled beauty raised an eyebrow.

“So, you’re saying that due to me being _“normal”_ you had to change how you dated me?”

“Considering the situation, I was placed in and such, yes. However, I did it for your protection. You’re a private citizen and deserve to remain that way.”

“If you wanted me to remain a _“private citizen”_ , why did you date me?”

“Because” – this really isn’t the time to go confessing your love to her, Harry.

Meghan glanced over Harry’s features, noting the tension on his face. She moved from across the sofa, over to where he was. Sitting a bit closer to him, Harry couldn’t even finish his statement. God, how does one even start? No, his actions weren’t acceptable in any manner, but he just desired everything to remain how it had been between before revealing his identity. Might as well, continue and not beat around the bush. Her time was precious, and he didn’t intend to squander anymore of it.

“Because you’re the _one_ _person_ that sees me as just Harry not as the Prince. From the moment we met even without telling you my identity, you treated me as real person. Those titles of mine didn’t even matter when I’m with you. For the first time I interacted with someone that treated me as Harry, not His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales. My princely status could get me many things in this world but not the friendship, and kindness you showed me. The thought of me loosing you because of who I am, scared me shitless.”

“Harry…”

“I get that you’re disappointed with my actions and I don’t expect you to forgive me either. However, nothing hurts more than to know that due to my fears and selfishness that I couldn’t even turn to you and tell you something like this.”

“After you confessed your identity to me, I felt like the world was flipped upside down. I sat in my apartment wondering if everything leading up to the sex was even real. However, we’re here and talking now. I can’t lie, I’m still trying to absorb everything, and the dull feeling of frustration is still there.”

“Meg ...,”

“I’m not sure what to do with this information you presented to me. It’s going to take time for me to trust you again.”

Harry nodded, inhaling slowly trying to figure out where to continue the rest of the conversation. He could at least get into some more detail about his life to really put things to context.

“There’s one other thing, I didn’t tell you yet.”

Meghan glanced at him, fiddling with her bracelet.

“When I was getting ready to turn 16, my mother passed away. She was my confidant and the one person I was closest to besides my nanny. _Everything_ happened so fast.”

“Harry …”

“The real reason I’ve been going to therapy and I was sent out here was due to how I handled the grief. It wasn’t just the fight I got into. My father and the Dean thought that sending me to Toronto with William would be a good change of pace. I’m the kind of person that tends to bury their head into the sand and not address certain things. Yet, her death just continues to throw me for a loop. Everything still feels fresh and even with those I get close to I still have that fear of her car accident, happening to them.”

Tears slid down his face while he tried to compose himself.

“I honestly shouldn’t even be telling you this. You’re not my therapist and these are issues I have to deal with myself.”

Meghan’s arms wrapped around him, with a warm embrace. Her reflexes towards the revelation of his mother’s passing kicked into overdrive. She could only imagine how hurt she’d be if she lost her own mom. Losing a loved one is always rough but one’s mother!? Nothing could cushion a blow as hard as that. Harry reciprocated the gesture. They looked into each other’s eyes as Meghan wiped one of the tears from his eyes. The gap between their lips almost closed until reality set in of their current situation. Giving him one last squeeze, the couple sat besides each other.

As the narrator, I’d be _lying_ if I said they didn’t want to kiss. However, if Harry is going to be receiving any kisses from Meghan, they’d have to be earned. _She still didn’t trust him_ , and any sort of kissing could easily lead to _sex_ if she wasn’t careful. Especially when you consider how many days it’s been since they’ve done it. It’s best to just keep things at a distance. Besides, the hug was merely a reaction. The tension increased a ten-fold after they shared such a warm embrace.

“Do you blame yourself for your mother’s death Harry?”

Harry ran his hands through his hair before replying.

“Sometimes I do, and I’d wish I could have stayed on the phone with her longer. She was in Paris the day she passed. I regret not keeping the conversation going and not even saying ‘I Love You’. The paparazzi hounded her when she was alive and as child there was nothing I could do. I miss her every day.”

Meghan gave him an empathetic look, giving him some tissues.

"It's not your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself for what was out of your control. Putting that kind of burden onto yourself is unhealthy."

“Mm.”

They shared one more hug for a few minutes. During this second hug, Harry took in all the warmth Meghan gave him. He knew that this was just her response, but he missed this. Prior to tall of this drama, one of the forms of affection he looked forward to the most besides hand holding was hugging. Whether a full wrap around hug or a side hug, he loved holding Meghan and being held by her. It always made his face light up.

Harry dabbed his cheeks with the tissues. He decided to change the topic and switch to catching up on how they’ve been. Obviously, Meghan is still thrown for a loop since they last talked but at least they’d keep talking. The awkward silences they had killed him inside. Meghan easily picked up on his cues towards changing the subject.

“Besides this, how have you been Meghan?”

“Busy. I’ve been preparing for exams, rehearsing for the spring musical, feeling every ounce of stress. Not to mention that this situation is basically within this craziness. Sometimes I just wish that everything could stop, and I’d have a chance to breathe.”

“You’ll get through this like you did last term’s exams.”

“Thank you. How are things with you?”

“In all honesty, shitty.”

“Things will get better with time.”

Harry didn’t even have to respond because he knew she was _trying_ to be optimistic despite her current feelings towards him.

“Hopefully.”

Though it wasn’t said out loud, it was heavily implied that from this point forward, their relationship needed to be rebuilt. The foundation of trust was gone from Meghan’s side. It’s not easy for anyone to transition into royal life but in this case, difficult to fully wrap their head around their boyfriend being royalty. She didn’t even know how to even approach the possibility of friendship. While she was open to try it, there was just so much to unpack and one night of talking wasn’t going to fix or magically erase what happened. Harry knew he had to take things slow and intended to do whatever it took to rekindle his relationship with her. She was aware but it had to be proven.

“This has been quite the talk tonight.”

“Yeah.”

“There’s still a lot to unravel, and quite a bit to get through.”

Picking up her old habit, Sunny started to bite her nails.

“It’s not just about talking; it’s ensuring that there aren’t anymore secrets.”

“I’ll tell you everything.”

 “Take your time.”  

Meghan stretched her limbs, feeling herself yawn. Tonight’s talking wore her out. She had to get to rehearsal in exactly six hours according to her phone. She was surely going to feel this exhaustion later. Harry stood up, stunned to see that the time was 12:15 am. Not wanting to keep her up anymore, he got ready to exit. Before going, the two looked at one another. Meghan stood up, walking towards the door.

“Have a good night.”

“You do the same.”

Leaning their faces towards one another, a kiss was almost shared. Yet Meghan pulled away before their lips touched. She rubbed her arms nervously, shaking her head. Harry took that as his cue to leave. The couple gave each other a glance before the prince walked out the door. Meghan watched as he walked down the hallway. That fluttering feeling, she felt earlier when he texted her returned.

_And my mind's gone half crazy 'cause I can't leave you alone (Oh can't get you out of my system)_

_And I'm wonderin' if it's worth me holdin' on (Holdin' on)_

_Said my mind's gone half crazy 'cause I can't leave you alone (Can't get you out of my system)_

_And I'm wonderin' if it's worth me holdin' on (Yeah)_

When Harry reached his apartment he immediately crashed on the sofa. His body was drained from the evening. Taking a quick shower, he wasted no time getting into bed. Pulling the covers over his hot body, he quickly allowed sleep to take over. Tonight, may have been a nerve wracking one, but he finally got to explain things to Meghan. Though things may seem bleak for now, he knew she appreciated him revealing such information to her. He certainly understood that he couldn’t keep anymore secrets from his “girlfriend.” Sure, he could have easily avoided all of this by being upfront with the truth from the start, but he now needs to earn Meghan’s trust. It wasn’t based on _his_ time though, it’s solely on her. Perhaps this talk humbled him in a sense because he had to work even harder now. But she was worth rebuilding their relationship for. He, ~~(yes, we’ll say it)~~ _loved_ her and wanted to make things right.

To work with someone as a team, there _must_ be a foundation of trust and friendship. No matter how long it took, he was willing to make it work. He could also work on his protectiveness and tone it down just a little bit too. Yes, it’s important to be cautious and protective over your significant other but you can’t let that blind you from being open with them. Being protective yet secretive is a toxic combination.

_Sleep on Harry, for tomorrow starts a new day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfcrazy is by Musiq Soulchild 
> 
> To explain some more of this chapter between the lines: They both still have very strong feelings for each other, but it'll take time for for everything to get back to how it once was. Luckily, for them things will work out and they'll be even stronger than before. They'll have to start from friendship and work their way up. Since summer vacation is nearing, time apart will help with the healing process too.


	25. Chapter 22 - Tangled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To give you all a timeline of the amount of time between Harry's confession and rekindling their relationship: It went on over the course of over sixteen days. I know it's going to be a bit confusing with what's happening but Meghan and Harry are certainly taking baby steps towards getting back to how they once were. (Talking and seeing each other were the first few steps !) This summer they'll spend some time apart and POSSIBLY visit each other. Who knows but absence certainly makes the heart fonder. Hang tight as well get ready for all of the summer fun with our favorite couple. Things might even get a little more nsfw moving forward too. We'll see in time ;)
> 
> Enjoy ! 
> 
> \- M
> 
> P.S. They never broke up, they're still together. 
> 
> P.S. #2 - Watch out for an INTERESTING surprise at the end of this chapter lmao

Meghan whacked her pointe shoes against the wall trying to break them in. Only two more days until show time and the blisters on her toes were killing her. She’s been forcing herself to break into these damned shoes since the director wanted Rapunzel to float across the stage. She appreciated the art of ballet, as she is gifted in it.  But now she has a newfound respect for women who wore pointe shoes. When she heard the satisfying sound of the soles snapping in half, she was relieved. Now she’d finally have some more flexibility in her movements.

_Abigail was right about her rough housing her slippers for a better fit._

Lacing up her slippers, on cue she had to reappear for the kingdom dance scene with Patrick.

“Rapunzel on cue! Ready?”

Meghan appeared balancing on her pointe shoes gracefully moving through her castmates towards Patrick. Her steps were light, and she maintained her poise. Patrick extended his hand to her as they danced in rhythm with the music. The choreography for this number the “Kingdom Dance” consisted of Meghan – erm Rapunzel dancing with the citizens of Corona. The setting is set before the Festival of Lights in the evening. It is the kingdom’s celebration of the princess’ birthday, and the hope that she will one day be found. Lucky for them, their princess is there in plain sight. As Flynn Rider and Rapunzel dance amongst the villagers, they find themselves dancing together in the end. The dance signifies the enjoyment of their company and the day.

When the music ended, she exited stage left, watching the scene with Patrick. Sitting there in the wings, she thought about _possibly_ inviting Harry to opening night. It wouldn’t hurt to still extend the invitation. Snapping out of her thoughts, she entered the stage once more for her next scene. During the boating scene, she absorbed the decorations of the lanterns “floating” around her and Patrick. The atmosphere brightened her spirits keeping her in tune with her duet. Barely getting into singing her lyrics, the director stopped the scene, working on the next one.

_Three hours later …_

“Great job with the tech crew run tonight! Rehearsal is over but remember that tomorrow we’re running through the entire show from beginning to end with no stops. Everyone is dismissed.”

Meghan nodded, getting her mind wrapped around tomorrow being the final rehearsal of the night. The director walked over to her, handing her an envelope. Inside were approximately ten tickets. This meant whoever she picked, it had to be someone she knew would show up. Everyone in the cast had only ten meaning that even daring to ask the director for anymore was out of the question. Luckily, she had her list set in advance.

Her list so far:

_Mama_

_Jessica_

_Markus_

_Lindsay_

_Serena_

_Priyanka_

She would have invited Daniel, Genevieve and Benita, but they were busy with pre-arranged work at their university. However, they sent all their support to her and planned on having flowers shipped to her dressing station. Shifting her focus back to Harry, she made the final decision to go ahead and drop off an invitation at his apartment. Things may be awkward between them, but she couldn’t deny that she missed him. It hasn’t been that long since their talk, but she figured, it wouldn’t hurt to do this. Besides, it's not like she had plans to hang out with him afterwards or anything either.

After changing her clothes, and gathering her duffel bag together, she made her way to the bus stop outside of the theatre. A few minutes passed and the ten o'clock bus arrived on the dot. Sitting in the middle area of seats, she slipped into her thoughts thinking over the last time she talked to him. They almost kissed. One would think that her even considering the thought, then acting up inviting him to see her performance was completely out of character. Yet, her gut told her to at least give him a chance. It didn't change what happened, but it was a small step towards rebuilding their "relationship." Because no matter how much she wanted to internally deny it, her feelings for him were strong and something just told her to not give up on him just yet.

She just hoped that the lucky stars would prove her hunches to be right.

The bus stopped in front of her apartment complex, and she quickly made her way to the elevator. Pressing button number three, she waited as the elevator stopped on Harry's floor. Feeling those little flutters of anxiousness, she wasted no time walking down the hallway and turning the corner to his apartment. Arriving at the door, she quietly knocked. Not hearing a sound, she slid her makeshift envelope labeled _"Harry"_ into the mail slot at the door. With a swift motion, she scurried away from the door, crashing directly into him.

WHAM!

Harry stopped, taking a step back to see her before him.

"Hey! Are you okay?"

Meghan nodded, feeling her stomach churn as she felt his hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I should be going back to my apartment."

"Okay. Well, see you around?"

She shyly nodded, "Yeah."

Harry watched as she walked towards the elevator, taking in her airy steps.

With a sad sigh, he walked to the door of this apartment. Opening the door, he saw a makeshift paper envelope addressed to him. Carefully tearing the envelope open, he saw a ticket and note in Meghan's handwriting. His eyes scanned over the script.

_Hi,_

_I just wanted to extend an invitation to the opening night of Tangled. I know we haven't talked in a while, but it'd be nice to see you. I hope you'd be able to come and enjoy the show._

_X- Meghan._

He felt his heart skip a beat. Luckily for him, he was off during opening night. He'd have to sit somewhere far in the back to not attract attention to himself, but he'd surely go. Maybe this was her taking a step towards repairing their relationship. He could treat Meghan to dinner at the restaurant on the house. Okay, he needed to slow down. They're still on shaky ground and he shouldn't think too far ahead. Yet, he wanted to at least do that for her.

Oh shit!  He needed to buy her a bouquet of flowers and a card too! A smile etched itself onto his face. His excitement of seeing her at the show couldn't be hidden. Nothing's more fun that seeing a musical performance but knowing that your girlfriend is the star of the show is even better. She'd worked so hard and to see her shine on the stage brought a twinkle to his eyes.

May the show go on!

_Opening Night …_

How Harry accomplished entering the theater completely undetected was a mystery. Taking a seat next to woman with dreadlocks, he clutched his bouquet of flowers. Waiting in line and doing his best to blend in wasn’t difficult but he still had that lingering sense of nerves. Again, he could never be too careful. The woman next to him turned in his direction noticing his bouquet of daisies. He gave her a smile, engaging in small talk to pass the time.

“Whoever’s getting those flowers is certainly a lucky person. They’re beautiful.”

“Thank you, Miss., I got these for my girlfriend, along with a card.”

She chuckled, lifting her goodie bag with a small bouquet of peonies, and a stuffed bear inside.

“Guess we had the same idea because I got my daughter her favorite flower, peonies.”

Harry shrugged, noting that they both had someone certainly being showered in love.

_Little did he know, he was sitting next to his girlfriend’s mother, Ms. Doria Ragland._

“So is your daughter one of the leads?”

“Yes, and your girlfriend?”

“Definitely! She told me she wowed the director with her audition.”

“Same with my Flower, she’s always determined to do her best. When she puts her mind to something nobody can tell her otherwise. I’m glad I was able to fly out and see her tonight. She makes me so proud.”

“She seems like the kind of person who would ma’am.”

“Well thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sitting comfortably, the curtain slowly rose as the opening score of Tangled filled the auditorium. Harry and the woman next to him, had quite a ball watching the musical together. They laughed, cried, and even shook their heads at the different scenes. Seeing Meghan on stage performing Rapunzel’s part to perfection made his heart swell. She worked dedicatedly to her craft, and all those months of rehearsals finally paid off. Sunny truly embodied the sunshine princess inside and out.

During the curtain call, the cast members entered to the front of the stage while the leads interacted with the audience. Harry saw Meghan walk towards the aisle he was in and she waved at him. She blew kisses down the row. His cheery seat mate blew a kiss back to Meghan. He chuckled as his girlfriend skipped towards the next section across the theatre. The orchestra played a reprise of the opening medley. Meghan took Patrick’s hand and they skipped together onto the stage for one last bow. Harry stood up, applauding eagerly and everyone in the row screamed for Meghan.

After the show, the audience emptied the auditorium. Harry pulled out his phone and texted Meghan to inform her, he was waiting for her in the lobby. Clutching his flowers, he scanned around the room seeing everyone meeting with their relatives involved in the spring musical. His heart fluttered while he waited for Meghan to appear. Gosh, he hasn’t felt flutters like this since their first date. His excitement almost completely distracted him from noticing that Meghan snuck behind him.

“Hi!”

  
“Hey!”

Meghan giggled giving him an excited hug. He handed over the flowers to her and she gave him the brightest smile. Embracing one another, she kissed his cheek. Harry felt his cheeks flush as they chatted away about the show. She thanked him for coming and their fingers linked immediately. Dragging him over to some of her friends that came to visit, she introduced him to them. Serena and Priyanka noticed Harry, giving him teasing looks. The new persons he met were a girl named Lindsay, and a boy named Markus. According to her, she met them at Northwestern as Lindsay was her literature classmates and Markus through a Greek life event.

“So, _you’re_ the boy that Meghan went crazy over trying to find the perfect Christmas gift for huh?”

Harry chuckled thinking back to the gift basket she gave him for Christmas.

“Maybe!”

Markus glanced Harry up and down.

“I can see why she speaks so kindly of you.”

Harry’s heart dropped as he heard him say that.

“She’s my best kept secret.”

Though it hasn’t been brought up, the day after Valentine’s Day, Meghan called Lindsay to let her know she and Harry took the next step in their relationship. She’s also disclosed that they’re dating to Markus. Outside of those two along with Priyanka and Serena, Meghan’s been quite mum about their relationship. The same could be said with Harry since his friends have yet to even know of her existence. The only people who are aware in Harry’s mind are: William, Zara and the royal security guards that chauffeur them to their dates.

He isn’t nervous about anyone meeting Meghan, but he’s concerned about the roasting he’ll get from everyone. Although, he did go off the grid for a bit since he was suspended from school. In some aspect, he’ll have to bring his friends and a good chunk of the family up to speed.

_What a day it will be when that happens!_

Quietly excusing himself and Meghan, he walked them over to a corner to talk privately. 

"Doing anything later this evening?"

“My mom and friends are taking me out tonight. They’re staying until Sunday afternoon.”

“Raincheck for Sunday then?”

“Absolutely. Just text me the time and I’ll be there.”

Giving her a side hug, he kissed her forehead.

“You did a great job tonight. I know we keep showering you with praises but I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you! I’m still buzzing over the first night being done already.”

“There’s many more to go.”

“Do you want to come to the dinner with my mom and friends?”

“I don’t want to intrude but thank you for the invitation. Maybe another time. Have fun though!”

“Alright, well see you on Sunday.”

_Sunday Night …._

Harry paced back and forth in the restaurant. He charmed his way into convincing his boss to let him shut down the restaurant for the night. Thank god he inherited his mother’s persuasive personality because there’s no other way he’d have done this. Setting the table, he checked the clock noting it was getting close to seven o’clock. He needed to hurry and return to the apartments to pick Meghan up. His stomach fluttered at the thought of his surprise of a _Harry cooked_ four course meal being a success. He wasn’t the world’s greatest cook but working at a French restaurant surely improved his skills drastically. Garnishing the fried calamari with his garlic sauce, he covered them.

“Now, to escort the lady of the hour here.”

Hanging his apron onto the rack in the kitchen, he hurried back to his apartment. He took a quick shower changing out of his uniform, ridding himself of the strong garlic scent lingering on his skin. After blow drying his hair, he slipped into some dress casual clothes. He decided to finish the look by wearing his elephant bracelet. Checking his chair, and outfit in the mirror Harry was pleased with what he saw. He pulled out his phone, shooting a text to Meghan.

_Harry: Ready to go?_

_Meghan: What’s the surprise for tonight?_

_Harry: A good boyfriend doesn’t spoil his surprises_ _😊_

 _Meghan: The anticipation is killing me_ _☹_

 _Harry:_ _😉_

_Meghan: …… Fine I’ll be patient._

_Harry: That’s my girl_ _😉_ _See you in ten!_

_Meghan: K!_

Shaking his head, he slipped his phone into his pocket. What can he say? He’s certainly the masters of surprises. Ever since the Valentine’s Day surprise, Meghan’s always been on her toes. Harry loves pulling out all the stops when he can. If he was back in England, he was with her, he’d be scolded by Charles for overdoing it. He always liked spoiling Meghan with something. This dinner surprise was small scale compared to what he would do back home but it’s the thought that counts right? However, this dinner wasn’t to spoil her, it was to finally catch up and enjoy each other’s company.

_Another baby step towards rekindling their relationship._

Going into the elevator, he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. William sent him a text letting him know he and Kate were coming to the apartment tonight. Grimacing, he prayed that Kate’s visit would be short, or they’d change their mind and stay at her place again. Swiping his message to the right, he heard the ding of the elevator open. Walking down the hallway to Meghan’s apartment, he took in a slow breath. Promptly knocking on the door, he shot Meghan a text letting her know he’s there.

He heard a few footsteps and the twisting of the doorknob. Meghan stood before him dressed in a yellow mini sundress, a loose black cardigan sweater and wedge sandals. Harry extended his hand and she linked her fingers with his. Using her free hand to lock the door, she turned towards Harry giving him a cheery smile. The pair walked downstairs to the lobby where Harry’s bodyguards were waiting for him outside. Settling into the car, Snow drove them to the restaurant. In the meantime, Harry covered Meghan’s eyes with a blindfold. Even though they were headed out to dinner, he didn’t want any part of the surprise ruined. Maybe he should have asked two of his co-workers to help him with serving the dinner but alas he’d be doing it himself.

Once they made it to the restaurant, Harry held Meghan out of the car. He opened the door of the establishment and guided her inside. Continuing to hold her hand, he led her to the table they’d at. Pulling out her chair for her, Meghan sat down. She heard Harry’s feet shuffling around. The sound of two glasses being placed on the table rattled in her ear. Harry opened the bottle of cider, pouring a bit into their glasses. He took out a menu for Meghan and placed it before her.

“You can open your eyes now.”

Meghan opened her eyes, taking in the well-set table and the smell of food coming from the kitchen.

Harry gave her a welcoming smile, holding a notepad a pen.

“Good Evening and welcome to Chateau Henry. How may I serve you this evening?”

Meghan glanced over the fancy menu Harry created for the evening. This is what he worked on for the past few days, or week!? How the hell does he come up with things like this!? This is something she probably would’ve done. Harry is certainly her strongest competitor when it comes to surprises. Taking the moment to think she decided to order the buttered lobster and rice with Swedish chard.

“I’d like to have buttered lobster, with Swedish chard and rice please.”

“Would you like a drink to accompany your meal?”

“Wine please.”

“Red or white?”

“Red.”

Harry scanned his eyes over the menu he made for the wine.

“If you’re interested Miss, we have a special for the _Tigananello_ wine this evening.”

NO, HE DIDN’T –

If she and Harry weren’t trying to get to know each other again, she probably would’ve asked him if clothing was optional for dining. Because a man that takes the time to treat you to fine dining that he cooked _himself_ is a keeper. She shook her head and couldn’t resist smiling. God she couldn’t tell if it was her hormones talking but Harry could _certainly_ get it. However, since they’re taking it even slower, she wasn’t about to go there.

_Baby steps Harry and Meghan, baby steps._

Snapping out of her thoughts, she cheerfully obliged to indulging in her favorite wine to pair with her meal.

Harry scribbled her order down and quickly returned to the kitchen to bring Meghan some freshly sliced bread with olive oil.

“Please enjoy this appetizer while you wait for your meal.”

Meghan savored the taste of her appetizer. The prince made his rounds to the kitchen once again, checking on the lobster as it sizzled in the pan. Following the instructions one of the chefs left him, he carefully garnished garlic and parsley onto the crustacean. He took the lemon pulp from a bowl next to him and drizzled it into the buttery, and garlic infused mixture. The scent of the citrusy fruit filled his nose. Harry peeked his head out of the door, gazing at Meghan sitting gleefully at the table. He was happy he could do something like this for her. Again, he thanked his lucky stars once more for this chance.

Plating the lobster dishes, he started with plating the rice in a neat mound. Then he drizzled the lemony garlic butter sauce he made onto the rice. Putting the lobster on top, he basted the sauce atop the lobster. At the corner of the plate, he placed the vegetables next to the rice. Holding the plate up to the light, he marveled at his amateur plating skills. He placed Meghan’s plate onto the tray, then worked on his own plate. Once he was finished, he took his tray with their plates to the table.

“Did you enjoy your appetizer?”

Meghan looked over to him walking in her direction with a large tray.

“Yes, it was delicious!”

Harry placed the tray of their food onto a stand in front of the table. He held Meghan’s in her direction, placing it down carefully. He put his across from hers. Moving the tray and it’s stool to the table behind him, he quickly went to the kitchen to wash his hands. Returning to eat, he sat down in the seat across from her.

“You don’t have to wait for me, go ahead and eat.” 

Meghan took a forkful of the lobster, relishing in its scrumptious taste.

“God, this is so good!”

Harry shot her a flirtatious wink.

“Judging by the _sound_ you just made, I can certainly tell. Glad you like it.”

“Harry, eat your food!”

Playfully rolling her eyes, Meghan continued indulging in her meal. A few minutes of comfortable silence, Harry broke it by praising her for excellent job during open night. She blushed relishing in his praises. The two eventually danced into the conversation of how they’d been recently as well. Harry informed her that since summer was coming soon, he had to help William pack to return to England. Originally, his brother planned to stay for a summer course, but their father wanted them both back. He also received the news that Eton College, had considered ending his suspension when summer began.

“Wow, that’s amazing! Congratulations on the lifting of your suspension.”

“Thank you. I managed to get the required hours I needed for community service, and online courses.”

“Are you excited to go back to Eton?”

“Not really, but it’d be nice to see the lads again.”

“Well, hopefully you’ll get adjusted in no time.”

“Once that uniform is back on, the routine will just kick into overdrive. Enough about me though. How is everything for you?”

Meghan paused, taking a forkful of rice before answering.

“A bit better. I thought about what we talked about and I’ll admit I can’t stop thinking about it. Beyond that, I’m doing well. Just typing up loose ends before the summer begins. I’m not sure if I’ll be studying here in the fall though.”

“Trying to get an extension of time?”

“Yes, but I only got it for this semester.”

“I think you’ll get it.”

“Thank you. I hope so, I really enjoy being in Toronto. I miss my sorority sisters at Northwestern, and friends there but being here it’s really refreshing. It gives me a good feeling.”

Harry nodded, taking in every word she said.

“About our talk, I’ll be honest I’ve thought about it too. I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

“Maybe I’ve reached a point of acceptance that at the end of the day you’re a prince, but it doesn’t change that you’re still _Harry_. You’re still a person and if I were in your shoes, I probably wouldn’t have done what you did but I’m starting to _understand_ the concept.”

“Protecting you is what matters most to me.”

“We’re a team, you don’t need to do such a thing alone.”

He paused, he was the one that said that, not the other way around.

“Harry, what I’m saying is, I forgive you.”

“Meghan …”

“If we’re going to make this work, we have to work together. No more secrets, we need trust and honesty.”

“Agreed.”

“Actions speak louder than words.”

The question of _‘What are we’_ lingered through their minds.

Their eyes met with a loving, yet focused gaze.

It didn’t have to be said aloud but their looks said it all.

“I missed you and I’m ready to try again.”

“I missed you too.”

Harry heard the timer in the kitchen go off. Excusing himself from the table he went to take out the dessert from the refrigerator. For tonight’s sweet treat, he and Meghan were having blackberry marble cheesecake. Taking out a knife, he cut the cake into even slices. He grabbed two saucers, carefully plating them. Using a spoon, he carefully poured the sauce onto the plates and cakes. He took two washed black berries each from the bowl next to him and placed them next to the desserts. Grabbing two spoons for them, he carried the dessert to the table. Meghan’s face lit up when she saw the sweet treat, he had for them.

“You’ve gone all out tonight!”

Harry shrugged; a cheeky grin appeared on his face.

“It’s not everyday you get to serve dinner to an actress.”

Following a flavorful dinner, the couple held hands exiting from the restaurant. The good food, laughter and overall mood between them was in high spirits. For the first time in a while they were able to truly enjoy each other's company. Having that time to themselves and catching up was wonderful. There was a pep in their step as they made their way to the elevator. Harry wrapped his arm around Meghan, while still holding her hand. Her fingers remained linked with his as she rested her head on his shoulder. They truly missed this feeling.

Walking towards Meghan's apartment door, they quietly entered the living room for a bit more privacy. She wrapped her arms around him, giving him another hug. He happily reciprocated, pressing his forehead against hers. Gazing into each other's eyes, that familiar feeling of warmth rushed between them. Leaning towards each other, their lips sealed in a kiss. It was soft, and sweet. Things were starting to feel a bit more like they would fall into place.

“Thank you for this weekend Harry, I’m glad I got to see you.”

“You’re welcome and again thank you for inviting me to see the show.”

“Of course.”

“Guess we’re just getting ready for summer start huh?”

“Yeah, after this coming Wednesday, I’ll really have to start packing to go home.”

“Whenever William’s semester wraps up, I’ll know by the cardboard boxes filled in the living room.”

This spring semester had flown by in the blink of an eye and summer was literally around the corner.

“I hope you have a good summer Harry.”

“I hope you do too Meghan.”

The summer was going to be difficult, no doubt about that. They’d be apart for almost three months. Long distance relationships aren’t easy and are a gamble. Now if they were in their twenties or thirties, it would’ve been possible for them to visit each other every two weeks. Luckily, there might a chance they could visit each other. How to get it to work is the problem that needed to be solved. Meghan was just your average broke college student, and Harry going literally “undetected” in Toronto was a miracle itself. There’s still the part of them not even meeting each other’s parents too.

It’s still early on but they’ll eventually figure it out.

Sharing one last kiss, Harry bid Meghan goodbye returning to his apartment. He rode the elevator down to his floor. He was caught up in his thought about the summer. Next fall he’d be turning eighteen and had to start preparing his application for Sandhurst. God, he was still behind on the Cadet Force. If he wasn’t suspended he would’ve been fine. So much to do in so little time. Not to mention that he needed to convince his father to let him back into the Polo circuit for the summer.

Thinking about all of this nearly made him want to throw up.

Hearing the ding of the elevator, he got off at his floor. Walking towards his apartment, he unlocked the door with his key. His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales wasn’t expecting to see what laid before his eyes.

“FUCK ME HARDER WILLIAM!”

“UHH!”

Harry stood in complete disbelief as to what he saw in the living room. His older brother, His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, the future Duke of Cambridge was slapping skin with a woman named Rose. Not to mention that this woman looked exactly like Kate. Christ be a mighty fence and an ocean because this scene would play out in his mind for the rest of his life. He couldn’t even move, let alone breathe.

“WHAT IN **THE CAUCASIAN HELL** IS GOING ON !?!?!”

Rose and William froze as they saw Harry at the door speechless. They ran out of the living room trying to cover themselves with a blanket. When the hell did Harry get here!? Was he standing here the whole time? Harry stared at the sofa, taking in that his brother’s semen and other bodily fluids have certainly stained the couch. He closed his eyes, silently thanking the lord above that his first time with Meghan wasn’t in the living room of this apartment. Diana’s little Spencer had seen many things in his lifetime, but THIS was just foul.

Child, this summer was going to be something else!

Brace yourself Henry, for this only just the start of the season.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you all think Harry will do to William? 
> 
> A. Beat his ass
> 
> B. Question his morals 
> 
> C. Tell Kate about this 
> 
> D. Compare William's wild ways to Pa 
> 
> E. All of the Above
> 
> Whoever answers correctly in the comments may see their choice in the next chapter


	26. Chapter 23 - It Wasn't William

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  Harry came in and he caught me red-handed  
> Creeping with Rose next door  
> Picture this we were both butt naked  
> Banging on the living room floor  
> How could I forget that I had  
> Given him an extra key  
> All this time he was standing there  
> He never took his eyes off me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone we're one chapter away from the Summer Vacation Arc officially beginning ! I'm so excited to get started on writing about the summer fun, summer loving and shenanigans our favorite couple get into. Besides, what's a better way to enjoy the summer than with each other am I right? 
> 
> The next chapter is going to be about Harry's final visit to Dr. Sirmons' office and his referral to a new therapist in England. Their name isn't going to be revealed yet but they will definitely shake things up. He'll be reflecting over his growth these past 6 months. 
> 
> Also here's a timeline update: We're now in the month of May. Harry and Meghan have been officially dating for four months now as of May 5th. I know it's fucking insane that time has been flying. We're only just getting started ! 
> 
> The Song title "It Wasn't William" is a spoof of the song "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy. 
> 
> Without further ado please enjoy this short chapter !!!

“WHAT IN THE CAUCASIAN HELL IS GOING ON !?!?!”

Harry took an hour to compose himself after witnessing his brother fornicating in front of his very eyes. No scratch that, fucking ANOTHER WOMAN that wasn’t Kate before him. _What in the actual fuck was going on!?_ If this is payback for that time back in October when William was raw dogging Kate at 5:30am when he interrupted it, he’s sorry! Almost nothing to could rid himself of the thought of that vision of Rose being slapped in the vulva by his older brother’s testicles. Like it’s one to text and say you’ll be home for once, but to FUCK in the living room without any sort of warning!?!?!?!?

Beyond that, the biggest question of all was if Kate knew anything about this.

DOES KATE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!?!?!!?

“I can’t stay here, especially not after that. I might just need to go back to Meghan’s apartment.”

_Harry: Meg, can I crash on your sofa tonight?_

_Meghan: Sure! What’s up?_

_Harry: I’ll explain when I get there. There’s a lot I just saw in the span of an hour._

_Meghan: You okay?_

_Harry: I …. I don’t even know. Let me get my charger and I’ll be over in 5._

_Meghan: K! See you in 5._

_Harry: ♥_

Within the five minutes of himself texting Meghan, he was already out of the elevator and on his way to her apartment door. His charger was in hand, and he saw that her door was opening. Harry strolled inside still trying to get his mind together. Jesus Chris, this shit was a mess. First and foremost, his brother was a disgusting piece of shit. Also, his penis was the ugliest thing he’s seen in his life. Now don’t get him wrong as kids they did the whole “bathing together” thing because of his mom. But in his seventeen years of life, he CERTAINLY didn’t ask to walk in on his brother’s adult version of a penis. He’d have to get some sort of memory swipe to get that out of his memory. That and Rose’s large areolas. He isn’t a man to judge breasts sizes but how the hell is going to forget that!?!?

“Harry ….”

He blinked, looking at Meghan.

“What’s wrong?”

“Meghan, I came straight home and walked into William fucking his, _pardon my language_ but side bitch in the living room.”

“Not even a side chick!?!?”

“Babe I can’t even think straight let alone comprehend everything I saw. William’s penis was the ugliest thing I’ve seen in my life.”

“Penises _aren’t_ supposed to be pretty Harry.”

Harry raised his eyebrow at Meghan’s comment.

“I know we haven’t fucked in almost two months, but you _know_ my dick is pretty nice to look at.”

Meghan burst into a fit of giggles. She had to hand it to him, he had a funny way of spinning things.

“I mean it’s uhh ... cute, gets the job done.”

“Don’t lie now because you got caught Meg. Anyway, thanks for letting me spend the night here.”

Meghan pecked his lips.

“No problem, cute penis.”

“MEGHAN!”

She giggled, heading back to her room to get a blanket and pillow for him. All jokes aside, what William did was just foul. How the hell could anyone just sit there and cheat on their partner. Reminds her of how her ex not only cheated on her but he purposely tried to sabotage her chances of getting roles in plays during high school. She shuddered thinking back at that. Getting the blanket and pillow, she returned to the living room to see him sprawled out on the couch. He quietly answered text messages, not noticing that Meghan returned. She playfully dropped the pillow and blanket on his chest. Harry put his phone down, noticing the pile on his body.

“Thank you Sunny!”

“You’re welcome. Don’t forget your clothes are still in one of the drawers.”

“I need to make sure I take my clothes with me before I leave.”

“I’m sure you won’t forget.”

Meghan turned to leave but Harry took her hand, kissing it softly.

“Thanks for letting me stay the night under these awkward circumstances.”

“It’s no problem. If you need anything just let me know, and erm… if you get a little lonely out here, I’m down the hall.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Well I’m going to go ahead and get ready for bed because I have a test tomorrow evening.”

Harry gave Meghan a warm hug with two soft kisses.

“Good luck on your test tomorrow.”

Meghan happily reciprocated the kisses and hug.

“Thank you. I’ll need all the luck I can get.”

She released herself from his embrace, returning to her bedroom. Harry heard her door close. He sighed, wrapping his arms around his pillow. Hopefully tomorrow morning, it wouldn’t be so awkward entering his apartment again. After a few minutes of laying on the sofa, he fell asleep. The sound of cars passing in the resident housing parking lot provided white noise for our exhausted protagonist. Suddenly, light footstep entered the living room, and a pair of clothes landed on Harry’s face.

“You should at least shower and then change. Don’t want to sleep in your street clothes, do you?”

Harry’s eyes fluttered open and he saw Meghan dressed in her spaghetti strap nightgown.

“Thanks.”

Getting up, he dragged himself to the shower, and found a box of soap labelled with his name on it. There was also a plastic bag of all his travel toiletries he packed when he and Meghan started sleeping over in each other’s rooms. Stepping into the shower, he let the warm water run over his body while he scrubbed his skin. He reminisced the first night he spent the night in her room. It was raining that evening and she lit two aromatherapy candles, so they’d sleep well. They had a brief conversation, then fell asleep in no time. Focusing on the present, he quickly finished washing himself off. The last thing Harry wanted was for Serena or Priyanka to find out he almost used up all the hot water.

Once he changed his clothes and brushed his teeth, he was back to the living room. He dried his hair off with a towel, before laying down on the sofa again. Putting his phone to charge next to him, he stared at the ceiling counting backwards from 100. Tomorrow he was going to get answer from William. Mark his words! There’s no reason he needed to walk in on that traumatic scene earlier.

NONE AT ALL!!!

_The next morning …._

Harry woke up to the sound of bacon sizzling in the pan and toast popping out of the toaster. Sitting up, he saw Meghan scrambling to get her shoes on and quickly eat. She paused giving him a sweet smile. Motioning for him to come and eat, she poured out two glasses of orange juice for them. He sat down at the table, thanking her for the meal. They ate in comfortable silence together. The sun was shining brightly as his mood lifted, while he thought of the kisses, he and Meghan shared last night. Then reality hit, and he remembered that his brother literally penetrated himself into Rose.

**What in the actual fuck!?!**

Making a face, he felt himself slowly losing his appetite.

“You okay Harry?”  

“Yeah I’m okay. Just spaced out a little since I’m still tired.”

Not wanting to hold her up, Harry quickly finished his meal. He checked the time, noticing that he had to make it to an appointment today. It’d been two weeks since the last time he checked in with his therapist. This afternoon’s meeting would be about him touching bases two more times before he goes home. The time he spent with Dr. Sirmons these past few months has helped him tremendously. Sure, he has his days at times but he’s a lot better compared to before. Harry had a sense of grounding; unlike someone he knew. At least he could stop and take in all the sights before him.

Though he refused to meddle into his brother’s business, he still had a bone to pick with him.

Gathering his clothes and other belongings from last night, he kissed Meghan goodbye. Harry thanked her for the delicious breakfast. She gave him a sunny smile before locking the door of the apartment. His royal highness made his way back to his apartment. After unlocking the door, there was the devil himself. He raised his eyebrow at William searching for any traces of Rose.

“You don’t have to worry Harry, she’s not here right now.”

“Guess you wanted to hide the evidence of your fun last night?”

William cocked his head to the side, noting Harry’s clothes in his hands.

“Seems like you had a fun night yourself.”

“Cut the crap William, you know you’re fucking disgusting.”

“Didn’t you say that you were _‘staying out of it’_?”

“Unlike your messy ass, I’m not getting involved. Doesn’t mean I can’t be concerned about Kate.”

“You need to be worried about how you’re going to keep up a relationship with Meghan. We’re leaving this coming Friday.”

FRIDAY!?!??!

God, can things just slow down!?

“I know what you’re thinking, and it is what it is.”

Harry scoffed at his brother, shaking his head.

“Don’t change the subject, you’re still not off the hook. No matter how you deflect it, you can’t justify this.”

“Let me be the judge of that little brother.”

“So how long has this been going on?”

“As we’ve discussed before it’s been going on since before, we left England.”

“How many months are we talking!?”

Harry listened intently as William explained that his affair with Rose has gone for exactly nine months as of last night. Deciding to stick with his guns, he ceased pressing any further into the matter. Don’t get it twisted, Harry isn’t the type to meddle into another person’s business at all. However, just like his father he often asked question merely scratching the surface. Letting it be, Harry excused himself to go to his room. Flopping onto his bed, he slowly dozed off. His mind reeling over how soon it’d be until summer vacation officially began.

It wasn’t even ten minutes and William came in leaning his tall frame against his door.

“Look Harry, you may not understand what’s going on between Rose, Kate and I but there aren’t any hard feelings between are of us.”

Harry rose from the bed, shrugging his shoulders.

“Like I said, argue with your armpit. I saw what I saw and it’s fucking gross. Keep playing yourself William.”

He glanced over his elder brother, cringing as he vividly remembered the sight of him nude.

“William, no offense but after seeing you the way you were last night, I can’t look at you. I’m keeping my distance. Just know that unlike everyone else you can fool with your _looks_ , I’m no moron. Anyway, I need to get in a nap before I go to my last therapist session of this term.”

“I’ll get the fuck out.”

“It’s about time!”

_To be continued …._


	27. Chapter 24 - Grown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been posting so many updates in the past few days. However, I'm very excited for the sequence of events coming as you all saw with the one shot 'Ego'. That one-shot was just a little preview of what's to come in the next few chapters. I'm going to specify exactly when but Harry and Meghan are sure going to have their hands full this summer. I'm not sure when my next update will be since I updated a lot this week. However, as always thank you so much for your support. I truly appreciate it! All of your commentary and feedback in my tumblr inbox makes me so happy :)! 
> 
> \- M

Harry tapped his hands on his pant legs while he waited for Dr. Sirmons to arrive. He hummed the tune of Chole and Halle’s Grown. Today was the final day of his therapy sessions over the duration of his suspension. He couldn’t believe that he’s finally at that point where this was ending. It’s honestly bittersweet because despite the rough start, he grew to enjoy coming to converse with him. It gave him a piece of mind, reflecting over his progress and growth. The Harry that arrived at the clinic on the first day is totally different from the person sitting here today.

The secretary entered the hallway, notifying the prince that his therapist just returned to his office. Harry stood up taking a breath before entering. Eight months flashed before his eyes just like that. Going to his seat, he was immediately greeted by Dr. Sirmons. Giving him a small smile, he waited for him to finish sorting his notes.

“Good Afternoon Harry! This is our final session together. Any thoughts?”

“Pardon my language but how the fuck did we get to this point!?”

“Time flies when you’re busy and productive. Then again, if you’re idle time will still move quickly as well.”

Dr. Sirmons directed the conversation back to the Prince once more.

 “Is there anything you’d like to reflect on as far as your progress?”

“I feel like in the course of our time together there have been several changes.”

Harry reflected on how when he first came to Toronto, he was just ready to get the suspension over it. Despite his excitement of going elsewhere he hated the limitations of having be send with his brother. However, he does credit his time working at the Hubb Kitchen as being the reason why things started turning for the better. He finally disclosed the information to Dr. Sirmons for the first time, that he is currently seeing Meghan. He didn’t mention her name or much about their relationship, but he did say that spending time with her is nice. Quickly getting off the topic, he discussed how working at a French restaurant gave him a sense of responsibility and he got to earn something solely on his own merit. These little things gave him a touch of reality.

“I’m absolutely glad to hear that. How about your grades? Any significant changes?”

“I have a 3.0 gpa as of this semester.”

“Great work Harry! I’m proud of you.”

Hearing those words made Harry beam with a sense of pride. He still had a long way to go but these were steps towards his personal goal. Next, he sprung on the surprise of a summer project he wanted to get started on. The project was called _Sentebale_ , and the term is from the Sesotho language. The term means _Forget-Me-Not_. Secretly, he has been working on starting this with his pen pal the Crowned Prince of Lesotho. It’s his hope that this summer he can hit the ground running.

“How long will you be staying in Lesotho for?”

“I’ll be there from June 21st until July 12th.”

“Approximately a month?”

“Around that time.”

“I hope it’s not too much, but your mother will be proud of you. I’m sure she’s beaming with pride at your growth.”

“Thank you. The reason why I picked the name Sentebale is in honor of her. Her favorite flowers are Forget-Me-Nots. It’s also dedicated to Prince Seeiso’s later mothers as well.”

“That’s so touching, Harry.”

“Again, thank you.”

“How else will you spend your summer?”

“I’m thinking of just hanging out with friends, getting back into shape to play Polo, beat my brother’s ass at said sport and of course, spend time with my _special person_.”

“Good! You deserve to have a fun and refreshing summer. I hope you enjoy it to the fullest. That reminds me, do you plan on keeping up with your therapy sessions?”

“Yes.”

“Since I will no longer be able to be your therapist, I have put in a word for a woman named Dr. Isabella Johnson to fill my place. I’m sure the two of you will click well since she’s only a few years older than you. Would you be fine with that?”

“Absolutely, I hope she’s nice like you.”

The men chuckled, before Dr. Sirmons shook his head.

“You’ll have to find out. Well, on that note our session is finished for today. Harry is was a pleasure working with you during your time in Toronto. I wish you the best in everything you do, and don’t be discouraged if you have slumps. It’s normal and part of the process. Take things one day at a time and you’ll be amazed and how things open up for you.”

“Thank you so much Dr. Sirmons. Before I go, I do have something for you.”

Harry pulled out a card from his vest pocket.

“Thank you, Harry!”

“You’re welcome.”

Shaking his former therapist’s hand, Harry took in the sights of this office one last time. He spent the last seven months here. His Wednesdays would certainly be different without Dr. Sirmons. Just like good things, this too had to end. Walking out of the door, he quietly closed it behind him. Right on time, his bodyguard arrived to pick him. As he sat in the car, he thought over how much things had changed in such an isolated span of time. This summer was going to be the time for him to recharge, and re-center his focus. But at the same time, he planned to live to the fullest. Summer 2017 has arrived, and he’s determined to make the most of it.

Still, he couldn’t shake the inevitable feeling of missing Meghan. Evidently, they both knew time apart would be good for them. They’re on good terms but it wouldn’t be the same without seeing her in person. He knew he had to _at least_ visit her before the summer was over. Yet he had concerns over jeopardizing her privacy. Also, summertime for him just started. At least they’d be able to keep in contact with Facetime, their Snapchat streak, and their messenger app. Time Zones would really be a bitch though since he lived so many miles away. Maybe she could visit him in England? He sighed, no matter how he spun it, he had to face his reality of a long-distance relationship. It wouldn’t be easy, but he didn’t want to give up so easily. But before he could even think about that, he had to start packing to go home.

Lord give him the strength to make it through this summer without his sunshine.

Who knows? The universe has pulled strings before, and perhaps someone within his circle could do a good deed.

Only time will tell.

_Happy Summer, 2017._


	28. Chapter 25 - A Thousand Miles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone ! As promised I said I'd update close to the end of the month and here we are! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's another short one but I promise things will be filled in as I keep writing more chapters. 
> 
> \- M

“We really made it to the last day of the semester huh?”

Harry took a sip of wine from his glass. Meghan turned in his direction, chewing on a French fry. It was 4:30 am, the golden hour. Later in the day, they had flights to catch but they just couldn’t sleep. So, in the spur of the moment, they took an early morning walk to Mcdonalds to get some junk food, sit in Harry’s bedroom, talking until they were drained. The place of choice was Harry’s windowsill. They’d regret their life choices later but why not let it all sink in right?

“Technically you did since I was suspended.”

“Same difference Harry.”

Harry scooted closer to Meghan, taking in her beauty reflected by the moonlight in the window.

“Are you at least excited for summer?”

“Of course! How about you?”

She gave him a small smile nudging him.

“I am but let’s be real it’ll be weird not having you around Meg.”

“Oh, I’ll be around just not physically.”

“That’s what I meant. As in I won’t be able to like talk you in person.”

“I knew that.”

“Uh huh”

Meghan dipped another French fry into her milkshake. They were on good terms, but it couldn’t be denied, the imminent void would be evident. Not to mention that they’d be busy as hell. Of course, they’d pick the last day of the semester to sit and try to hash out things about the summer. At the most inconveniently convenient time possible. Harry leaned his head on Meghan’s shoulder as they lowered their voices to a whisper.

“I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

“We’ll have Facetime, care-packages, letters, owls.”

The sleep deprived couple burst into a quiet fit of giggles, trying not to disturb William down the hallway.

“Anyway, we need to be getting to bed. Whether we like it or not, we have flights to catch.”

“Mm.”

Meghan stretched her limbs, groaning at the popping of her joints.

“I guess I’ll take the walk back to my apartment.”

Harry raised an eyebrow.

“You can sleep in my bed and I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, it’ll be fine. Plus, at this hour walking yourself back to the apartment after the walk we had to get food is just ridiculous at this point.”

“Okay” she yawned feeling her exhaustion take over “if you say so.”

“Goodnight!”

They shared a lazy kiss.

“Goodnight.”

_Later that evening …_

Meghan and Harry said their goodbyes, soaking in warm hugs and a kiss. Within hours their bags were finally finished being packed and they went their separate ways. Promising to call each other when they landed, Meghan once again reminded him _“It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later.”_ Going from the airport to the plane, everything felt like a blur. From the moment he sat down in his seat, he dozed off. He didn’t even dream, just slept through the flight like a baby. For the first time in a while, he felt the exhaustion and anxiousness of returning home sink in. When the plane landed at Heathrow Airport, William nudged him awake. Taking in his surroundings, he noted the dreary weather outside welcoming him home to London.

“Home already huh?”

“Yeah, you were out like a light.”

“Damn, it’s really kicking in that we’re on summer break now.”

“Yep!”

One would be lying if they said that the entrance into the airport was slightly chaotic. As Harry immediately predicted, the paparazzi would be ready to swarm. Putting on his sunshades, he held his breath trying to remain calm. William took note of Harry’s cranky silence, helping him navigate the chaotic situation. Their bodyguard surrounded them, getting them through customs, and straight to baggage claim. Snow, picked up Harry’s luggage, motioning for him to get outside. A range rover waited for the brothers, and they quickly entered the vehicle. Harry sat in the backseat, pulling out his phone. Waiting for the signal to come through, he quickly sent Meghan a text informing her he made it home. God, all he wanted to do was crawl into his bed and continue sleeping.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles …

“MEGHAN!!! MEGHAN!!”

Meghan turned around at baggage claim and saw her mother waving at her with a cute sign covered with sunflowers. Typical, mama she always had her ways of getting her attention. Grabbing her bag, she ran over to Doria giving her a big hug. Her flight from Toronto wasn’t so bad. She took a nice little nap and woke up feeling excited to see everyone. The smell of the California air gave her a nice feeling, but finally getting to hug her mom again made it even better.

“Mama! Hi!!! This sign is so cute!”

“Flower!! How was your flight? I’m glad you like the sign, I figured you would.”

The bubbly mother and daughter burst into conversation about Meghan’s flight and her time during the semester. Doria couldn’t help but smile seeing her daughter’s face light up every time she’d mention someone or something. She especially noticed that familiar glow of warmth that she gets if she’s smitten with a person. Deciding to not press into, she had a strong feeling her flower was seeing someone. Whoever they were, they obviously added to her happiness. She could sense it. Maybe the person was like the boy she met during opening night of Tangled.

_Little does Ms. Doria know …_

“Enough about me Mama! How have you been?”

Doria snapped back to reality, giving Meghan nod before explaining how her time was.

Back in London ...

The moment Harry made it into the castle, he quickly took himself to his room. Tossing his luggage into one corner of the room, he flopped onto his mattress. Feeling the comfort of his own bed, he slept once more. While sleeping, the light off his cellphone turned on. Meghan’s messages were added to his notifications. The rain pattered against the window as the prince slept on. After a few hours, Harry woke up, rolling over to check his phone. God, what time was it anyway? When he checked the time, it was 6:45 am. _Shit_ , he really dozed off and missed dinner huh?

Checking his notifications, he saw that Meghan texted him letting him know she arrived in Los Angeles safely. He decided that instead of texting her, he’d call her on FaceTime. Somethings are better said in words than versus text. Harry may have just woken up, but he at least wanted to talk to her. Pressing on the FaceTime button, he waited quietly as his phone waited for Meghan to pick up.

Suddenly Meghan appeared on the screen, shifting on the sofa.

“Hello?”

Harry gave her a sleepy smile, trying to blink himself awake.

“Hey Sunny!”

“Harry! You’re just waking up???”

“Yeah! I was just so tired when I was on my way home. I essentially blacked out on the plane, in the car, and just crashed in my bed.”

“Aww! How are you now?”

“Still tired and missing you.”

“I miss you too!”

“How am I going to _survive_ without you around?”

“Don’t ask me, I’m over here shitting it.”

Harry chuckled, realizing how _much_ his humor has rubbed off her.

“Mm, anyway, how was your flight?”

“Pretty good! I took a mini nap and was recharged once I got off the plane.”

“I WISH I had that kind of energy flying home!”

“Then don’t stay up so late the night before you know you have a flight that afternoon.”

“Don’t come at me because you didn’t have to go get food with me Ms. ‘I can’t sleep because tomorrow I’m going home.’”

“Shut the fuck up!”

Harry stuck his tongue out at her, making a goofy face.

Meghan giggled, rolling her eyes.

“You’re a fucking mess.”

“I’m _your_ mess.”

“STOP IT.”

Harry noticed Meghan looking around, nodding as he heard a voice in the background. Judging by the tone of the voice, he assumed it was her mother.

“Hold on Harry, I’ll be right back. I need to do something.”

After a few minutes, Meghan returned picking her phone up. Harry jumped hearing her voice as he rolled over. Holding the screen above his head, he noticed she was in her bedroom now with the door closed. She was laying on the mattress with her phone propped up beside her. Giving him a playful smirk, she rested her chin in her palm.

"Miss me?"

"A little bit."

He chuckled, as they basked in the comfortable silence between them. Reality really hit them now, that they're further apart from each other. It wouldn't be like how it was during the fall and spring semesters in Toronto. The real work in maintaining their relationship was beginning. They weren't sleeping in same bed or a floor above anymore. The physical contact between them was gone. The idea of visiting each other was especially in the air because it wasn't guaranteed.

"Damn, I wish you were here right now."

He took a breath looking at Meghan's slightly somber expression through the screen.

"To cuddle with you?"

"Yes. You have no idea how badly I've wanted to snuggle and cuddle with you."

"Really? Because I feel the same way."

"Yeah, you’re really warm. When we used to fuck, I loved cuddling with you afterward."

"With those neck kisses?"

Meghan moaned into her pillow.

" _Please_ don't bring that up!"

"I mean if we're going there, might as well! I liked when you rubbed my back putting me to sleep."

"I'm sure you did!"

"At least I won't deny it."

"Shush! You're not going to make me horny while my mother is down the hall."

Harry blew her a kiss through the screen.

"I guess now we have to discuss how to deal with our sexual urges. Because it's been how long since we've last had sex?"

"Two months."

"How did we hold out this long!?"

"I wanted to wait because you know what happened."

Harry felt his chest tighten as he remembered their time apart after he confessed his identity as prince.

"I don't blame you for the choice you made either."

"Doesn't mean that deep down I wasn't the least bit horny."

"Meg, trust me you don't need to feel pressured into anything. I can wait."

"Thank you but I do know that with us being apart like this I can't wait anymore."

“Well you know, we can always have a head start with your eagerness.”

“Isn’t it like seven something in the morning over there?”

“It’s nine am but it’s never too early for breakfast in bed. Besides, I like my eggs like I like you after we’re done, nice and runny.”

HENRY CHARLES ALBERT DAVID!

Meghan felt that familiar chill going down her spine. God, how could he make such jokes that turned her on like this!? Jesus Christ be a mighty a fence because it's certainly getting hot in here. She moaned quietly, rolling her eyes. Harry laughed knowing exactly the kind of effect on her had on her. He licked his lips, taking in the sunlight streaming through the blinds. If she was here right now, he'd have had at least a round or possibly foreplay.

"You're horrible, I'm over here dying, and you make that joke."

"Hit it from the back like some stirred mac and cheese then?"

"I SWEAR ON GOD I WILL HANG UP THE PHONE!"

"Don't run from the dick now baby girl. You know what I'd do if I was there."

Meghan groaned in desperation. This was going to be a long summer.

"We need to figure out something to compensate because you can't do this to me over the phone."

"Well we could always have some fun over the phone. Do it like the old folks would do."

"With what privacy!?"

"If there's a will there's a way. Trust me, we'll figure it out. I won't leave you tortured."

“You better not, I won’t live if you keep doing this to me.”

Harry winked at Meghan through the screen. Maybe this time apart could utilize their creativity and rekindling not only their intimacy but their friendship too. He couldn’t deny, missing her left a major hole. Perhaps the lucky stars that brought them together to begin with could give them mercy to see each other over the summer. Meghan rolled over onto her stomach, tying her hair into a top knot. She shook her head at him. These next few months would be hard, but they’d make it work.

“How about we have a tutorial? Just listen closely and follow my lead.”

The freckled beauty blushed, listening closely on the phone.

“What do you want me to do first?”

“Well for starters, relax and get comfortable. I’m sure you know how this goes when you’re alone but block everything else out and focus on my voice.”

“Mm”

Meghan’s fingers traveled down south between her legs as she heard Harry’s voice darken. She relaxed her body against the sheets, head against the pillow. Her hands worked to pleasure herself while Harry focused on himself. For the first time in two months though apart, they finally had a moment of intimacy. It wasn’t the same as how it was in person, but the satisfaction was guaranteed. She moaned into the phone as she felt her body convulse while she released onto the sheets. Shivering, she rocked her hips against her hand.

“Shit! This was even better than what I’d do by myself normally.”

Harry huffed into his pillow, sweat clinging to his skin. His face was flushed as he looked down to see droplet of cum on his stomach. He hummed in response to Meghan’s comment. Turning towards the camera, he smiled at her. She blew him a kiss through the screen. He watched as her back would rise and fall while she breathed. Her expression was blissful as her head rested against the pillow, hands still between her legs.

“There’ll be plenty more of these where it came from.”

“I don’t think I can do another round of this right now. I’m ready to go to sleep.”

“Goodnight Sunny, sleep well.”

“Thank you, Baby, you have a good day. Don’t disappear on everyone now.”

“I won’t! Talk to you soon!”

“Talk to you soon.”

Harry watched as the screen went black after the call ended. He sighed knowing that Meghan was fast asleep. He wasn’t there cuddling her as she slept. God, who was he kidding, he had to find a way to see her somehow. Heck even if she could come here for a day, he wouldn’t mind. Sighing, he got up getting ready for the day. The last thing he wanted to do was mope, he knew she missed him just as much. After getting dressed, he went down to the kitchen to eat a late breakfast. His legs felt a bit numb as he walked there. Fuck it he needed to eat and get something done today besides rubbing one out.

Don’t worry too much Harry, maybe the universe does have plans after all. Summer has just begun and it’s time to focus on yourself, adjusting to being home, and everything else will fall into place. Besides, all good things take time anyway.


End file.
